Numerous reports on Tuesday revealed an unusual sighting of a giant fireball streaking in the night sky from Canada to the US east coast.

According to the American Meteor Society, more than 700 reports of the fireball were made on October 4 from Ontario to Delaware, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.

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These reports described a distinct sonic boom that could be heard within 50 miles of the fireball's path. According to the American Meteor Society's operations manager, Mike Hankey, this fireball event is in the "top 10 events of the year" for the society.

Hankey explained that the loud echo of the sonic boom gives an idea of how close the fireball was to the Earth's surface. He added that this vast range of eyewitnesses from Canada to Maryland indicates that it was a very bright meteor.

The fireball also was a viral sensation on social media that night. The University of Toronto Scarborough Observatory captured this fireball on video.

Fireballs this huge are a very rare event. Less than 10 fireball events or meteors with this brightness can be seen and/or heard within a year. The last notable fireball event occurred in June last tear in Arizona. NASA described it as possessing a lot of light and producing a few sonic booms.

The latest fireball seen blazing the skies across western Canada and the US could be a remnant from the Orionid meteor shower that usually occurs this time of year. This month, the meteor shower will be visible from October 4 to November 14.

According to NASA, the Orionids are debris from Halley's comet tail that are known for being bright and quick. For those who want to catch a glimpse of this dazzling event this fall, it is best to watch away from light pollution and street lights, lying down on a reclining chair after midnight or right before dusk.