Fireball in skies over Nova Scotia lights up social media

A meteor was likely behind numerous reports of a bright lightin the skies over Nova ScotiaThursdaynight.

Numerous people reported on social media seeing it just before10 p.m.

It was probably a very bright meteor hundreds of kilometres away, said Dave Lane, director of the Saint Mary's University observatory.

"I've only seen one of these things in my lifetime that was bright enough to be spectacular," Lane said, adding he didn't witness the meteor last night.

He says fireballs aren'trare astronomical phenomenon, but they aren't always spotted.

"When people see these things they become really excited, like 'Wow,'" he says.

People hoping to find a piece of meteorite today will probably be out of luck.

"Don't go out looking in your backyard for this thing, it's simply not going to be a productive exercise."

Lanesays if the meteor did produce a rock it is more likely in the ocean, somewhere east of Nova Scotia.