Meteor in Illinois
Yes. Global Meteor Network cameras tracked 210 meteors over Illinois from Oct 2 to Nov 1, 2026, on 23 different UTC days. The newest was on Oct 30, 4:19 am CDT. The brightest reached magnitude -4.4.
Newest meteors over Illinois
Times are local, with the time zone shown. Speed is the speed when it started glowing. Magnitude is absolute magnitude; lower is brighter.
| When | Shower | Brightness | Speed | Started at | Start point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 4:19 am CDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -4.4 | 66 km/s | 116 km up | 39.55° N, 90.94° W |
| Oct 30, 3:45 am CDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -2.6 | 72 km/s | 113 km up | 40.30° N, 90.03° W |
| Oct 30, 2:08 am CDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -0.8 | 59 km/s | 106 km up | 40.02° N, 88.93° W |
| Oct 30, 12:50 am CDT | Orionids | mag -2.7 | 67 km/s | 111 km up | 40.11° N, 90.41° W |
| Oct 30, 12:32 am CDT | LCT (IAU code) | mag -0.2 | 31 km/s | 97 km up | 39.17° N, 90.71° W |
Brightest over Illinois
| When | Shower | Brightness | Speed | Started at | Start point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30, 4:19 am CDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -4.4 | 66 km/s | 116 km up | 39.55° N, 90.94° W |
| Oct 3, 1:05 am CDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -3.1 | 57 km/s | 121 km up | 41.54° N, 88.81° W |
| Oct 10, 5:01 am CDT | No shower (sporadic) | mag -3.1 | 64 km/s | 119 km up | 39.68° N, 90.73° W |
57 came from known showers: Orionids (26), Southern Taurids (7), October Camelopardalids (4), Leonis Minorids (4). The other 153 were sporadic, which means they belong to no shower.
Last night
GMN's latest daily file (Oct 31, 19:07 UTC to Nov 1, 10:25 UTC) has no meteors within 300 km of the middle of Illinois.
Why this page may miss a meteor you saw
GMN only computes a meteor's path when two or more of its cameras film it, and the cameras must have clear skies. Daytime meteors and meteors under clouds are missed. Meteors are placed where they started glowing, often more than 100 km up (see the start heights above). A meteor seen from Illinois can start over a neighboring state and count there.
Saw a fireball in Illinois?
AMS calls a meteor a fireball when it is brighter than magnitude -4, about as bright as Venus (AMS ). Report it on the AMS fireball form . Reports from many people help find where it went.
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01Meteors over Illinois
Were any meteors filmed within 300 km of 40.07, -89.2 (the middle of Illinois) in the Global Meteor Network's latest daily data? Give the time, shower, brightness and speed of the 5 newest.
More: all 50 states · meteor shower tonight · Leonids · Geminids
Data: Global Meteor Network trajectory summaries, CC BY 4.0 . Cite Vida et al. 2020, MNRAS 491(2) and Vida et al. 2021, MNRAS 506(4). GMN data is preliminary and can change as more cameras report.
Questions people ask
Was there a meteor in Illinois recently?
Yes. GMN cameras tracked 210 meteors over Illinois from Oct 2 to Nov 1, 2026. The newest was on Oct 30, 4:19 am CDT.
How do I report a fireball in Illinois?
Use the American Meteor Society's fireball report form at fireball.amsmeteors.org. AMS calls a meteor a fireball when it is brighter than magnitude -4.
Where does this meteor data come from?
From the Global Meteor Network, a volunteer network of meteor cameras. Its trajectory files are public under CC BY 4.0. We place each meteor where it started glowing.
When is the next meteor shower visible from Illinois?
The Leonids peak on November 17, 2026, and the Geminids on December 14, 2026 (IMO 2026 calendar). Both can be seen from the US on clear, dark nights.