Bright Fireball Seen Breaking Up Above Oregon Coast to Washington, California, Montana

Published 08/14/25 at 7:55 p.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Portland, Oregon) - A brilliant fireball lit up the night sky over Oregon and Washington on Tuesday, August 13, at approximately 10:10 p.m., prompting dozens of eyewitness reports from across the region. Sightings stretched from Port Orford on the southern Oregon coast to Ridgefield, Washington, with numerous accounts from Portland, Eugene, and surrounding areas.

Observers described the fireball as a long, fiery trail moving southward, with some noting it appeared to break into multiple pieces before fading from view. According to the American Meteor Society’s Fireball Log, the event lasted several seconds and was widely visible across the Pacific Northwest.

Jim Todd, astronomy expert with Portland’s Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), said the phenomenon was most likely caused by re-entering space debris, though a natural meteor cannot be ruled out.

“A typical natural fireball is quick and bright,” Todd told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. “Fireballs are caused by space rocks that enter the Earth's atmosphere and are slowed down and heated by friction. Objects that cause fireballs can be larger than one meter in size. Fireballs are caused by space rocks that are made of stone, ice, metal, or a combination of these materials. We are near the peak of the Perseid Meteor Shower, which are debris from parent comet Swift Tuttle.”

Todd noted that man-made objects tend to re-enter the atmosphere more slowly and remain visible for longer durations - sometimes tens of seconds or more. These objects often break apart, appearing as multiple bright points moving in the same direction.

Comet over the south Oregon coast's Bandon, courtesy Manuela Durson - Manuela Durson Fine Arts.

Similar fireball events have been documented in the past, including a notable sighting over Eugene and Springfield on the same evening, which may have been linked to either a meteor or space debris.

NASA explains that defunct satellites and rocket stages re-enter Earth’s atmosphere at speeds approaching 17,000 mph. As they descend, friction with denser air layers generates intense heat, causing the objects to ignite and produce the fiery streaks seen from the ground. While meteors also create fireballs, they typically move much faster and appear more like a brief flash than a slow-moving aircraft.

Adding to evidence, SpaceX confirmed that on Thursday, August 14, a Falcon 9 rocket launched 28 satellites into low-Earth orbit from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. The orbital path of Starlink G10-20, tracked by HeavensAbove.com, suggests a possible connection to the fireball observed on August 13. Although the rocket’s second stage is designed to undergo a controlled deorbit, deviations in timing or trajectory can result in an unplanned atmospheric re-entry, producing a bright fireball.

A piece of rocket debris found in Waldport in 2021 (Lincoln County Sheriff's)

The last time something like this was seen in the Pacific Northwest, pieces of a SpaceX rocket were found in rural Washington and on the central Oregon coast near Waldport in 2021. Apparent SpaceX Rocket Debris Found on Oregon Coast Found at Waldport: what appears to be charred debris from the Falcon X rocket

Todd said he strongly encourages anyone who saw the fireball send their report to the AMS Fireball Log at https://fireball.amsmeteors.org/members/imo/report_intro. This is the best source to determine the location and origin. Reports like these are valuable to help determine reports of the fireball or meteor, and perhaps meteorite fragments if any. Anyone with security cameras or dash cam is encouraged to send video clips.

SpaceX debris back in '21

This has been a stellar summer for spotting satellites, meteors and some unusual sights – such as satellites “flashing” or appearing to blink in and out of view. Oregon Coast Beach Connection witnessed one burn up last month. There will be a larger story on all this soon at Oregon Coast Beach Connection.

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