Huge fireball sparks panic as it streaks over American states - but what was it?

A huge fireball over Kentucky was heard and seen across 13 American states. 

More than 200 people across several states - including Ohio, the Carolinas, and Tennessee. among others - filed reports of a bright fireball in the sky at 9:45 pm on Thursday, according to NASA Meteor Watch. 

The 'very bright' fireball was a meteor that disintegrated 30 miles above Exie, Kentucky, near Bowling Green. The breakup of the meteor unleased the equivalent of 10 tons of TNT worth of energy, which caused a pressure wave that some Americans heard as it traveled to the ground. 

'This wave is responsible for the noises heard by some eyewitnesses,' the organization said.  

The fireball was roughly 20 inches in diameter, weighed 400 pounds, traveled at 51,000mph, and was produced by a meteoroid, according to NASA. 

More than 200 people across several states - including Ohio , the Carolinas, and Tennessee . among others - filed reports of a bright fireball in the sky at 9:45pm on Thursday

The 'very bright' fireball was a meteor that disintegrated 30 miles above Exie, Kentucky, near Bowling Green

It is unknown if the event caused a meteorite to strike the earth's surface. Some pieces that may have survived the entry into the atmosphere might have landed near the Altapass in the Blue Ridge Mountains, according to Fox Weather.

The meteor could be seen from Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina. 

'You may have heard that our area experienced some excitement early this morning via an apparent meteor!' the X account focused on news surroinging Grandfather posted. 

'A couple of our park cameras captured the landscape totally lighting up just before 1:15am, and we thought it would be fun to share our view of the phenomenon.' 

'Never seen anything like it before. Not like a comet... Not a long tail... But bright green and fast...had to have crashed on right side of I-40 East, but never saw a explosion. It was wild,' another onlooker wrote. 

The breakup of the meteor unleased 10 tons of TNT energy, which caused a pressure wave that some Americans heard as it traveled to the ground 

The fireball was roughly 20 inches in diameter, weighed 400 pounds, traveled at 51,000mph, and was produced by a meteoroid

'I literally felt like I could have walked to it because it looked so close,' Kelly W. from Harriman, Tennessee, said. 

Mary M., from Olive Hill, Kentucky, said: 'It was beautiful! First one I have ever seen!'   

'It was one of the most amazing things I have ever seen and experienced,' Sue S., from Glenhayes, West Virginia, said. 

Only around five percent of meteors survive their descent to Earth. 

Around 500 meteorites reach Earth's surface every year, but they are very rarely recovered, according to Fox Weather.  

Around 500 meteorites reach Earth's surface every year, but they are very rarely recovered

Parking lots were illuminated during the blast as seen at Grandfather Mountain