Here's what we know: several callers say they heard a loud boom or an explosion and a possible streak in the sky around 7:45 p.m. One man said the light was very bright, even casting a shadow. The callers were from Marin, the Fairfax area, Oakland, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz.
Early on, astronomers said what people were describing could be consistent with a satellite or large meteor breaking up in the sky.
The National Weather Service says they've received reports from Mendocino to Monterey counties and they believe it's related to the Orionid meteor shower. That celestial event is peaking this weekend.
An astronomer from the Chabot Space & Science Center says it was a meteor about the size of a small car.
