The western sky — and social media — lit up Tuesday morning when a meteor streaked over Western Pennsylvania skies and into the atmosphere over northeast Ohio.

Jared Rackley, an employee with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, caught video of the large fireball as the suspected meteoroid entered the atmosphere and fell to earth. In response to comments posted to X, the NWS in Cleveland confirmed that the bright streak and loud boom Ohio residents heard was probably caused by a meteor.

The fireball was clearly visible throughout Greater Pittsburgh during a break in the unusual, record-breaking snowfall.

Pittsburgh-area social media accounts were quick to respond.

Pittsburgh Scanner reported a police officer near UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh called in regarding a “rocket or something burning like a meteorite or something of that nature.”

On Reddit, users throughout the region captured photos of the smoke trail left by the object. Benjamin Campbell shared a photo from the Bethel Park area showing a thin streak across the middle of the morning sky.

“I’m in Bethel Park and just saw a super bright meteorite/fireball that lasted a couple seconds at about 9 am today (March 17) fly through the sky north of where I am,” he posted.

Other users were quick to post satirical versions of a meteor “sighting” in places such as Pittsburgh International Airport.

Meteors are very common, especially when light pollution is low or during seasonal meteor showers. However, few reach Earth or cause sonic booms. These falling objects can be designated differently depending on their location — “meteor” is the term for the fireball itself, while the object, typically a fragment of rock, is known as a “meteoroid” in space and a “meteorite” when it hits earth.

The next seasonal meteor shower, the Lyrids, are expected around April 17, per the American Meteor Society.