[skprbob]

As luck would have it, I saw the event also from home in Tuftonboro - really spectacular! For those with an astronomical interest, such things tend to occur most often in February and April. Those in April are mostly associated with the Lyrid meteor shower which peaks around the 22nd. The term "fireball" does have a formal definition - an especially bright meteor of magnitude -3 or brighter with a long-lasting trail. For comparison, the star Sirius is -1.5, the full moon is -12.7. An especially bright fireball (magnitude -9 or brighter) is called a "bolide". These are also capable of producing sonic booms as they slow down and burn up in the atmosphere and can be heard over a very wide area.

Like most meteor showers, the Lyrids are best observed in the hours before dawn, after the moon sets, but the bright ones can be seen at most any time. Keep looking up.