NewsMilwaukee County

Actions

Franklin man's doorbell camera captures meteors lighting up the night sky

Franklin man's doorbell camera captures meteors lighting up the night sky
MixCollage-24-Mar-2026-04-57-PM-9147.jpg
Posted
and last updated

FRANKLIN, Wis. — Viewers across Wisconsin and the Midwest captured video of meteors streaking across the night sky on Monday.

The American Meteor Society received more than 100 reports of the fireballs from Monday night.

Meteor falling
Fireball meteor falling from the sky Monday night.

In Franklin, Chris Tillman Jr. checked his doorbell camera after seeing a post on the TMJ4 Facebook page. He found he had captured the meteors at 8:26 p.m. and 8:31 p.m.

"It was definitely a home run when I saw it," Tillman said.

Tillman said his fascination with the cosmos started when he was young, and he takes every chance he gets to look up at the night sky outside his home.

Watch: Franklin man's doorbell camera captures meteors lighting up the night sky

Franklin man's doorbell camera captures meteors lighting up the night sky

"As soon as I get out of the car, me and my kids look up. We always say hi to Jupiter, or, you know, we're trying to see what constellations we can see," Tillman said.

Chris Tillman Jr.
Chris Tillman Jr.

"Never gets old, because there's always something to learn," Tillman said.

When asked how it made him feel to capture the rare surprise on camera, he said it made him feel alive.

"Alive. You know what I mean, like, it makes you know that there's stuff up there. You know what I mean, sometimes when it feels like it'll come down here," Tillman said.

For those looking to learn more about stargazing and the universe, the Wehr Nature Center in Whitnall Park is home to the Wehr Astronomical Society.

Meteor
Kelly captured this from her security camera on Monday night.

"They are our local experts. Anyone can attend their engaging talks," Carly Hintz said. The group meets once a month, February through June, and then September through November.

Carly Hintz
Carly Hintz is the director of the Wehr Nature Center.

Hintz is the director of the Wehr Nature Center. The group offers public viewing events and loaner telescopes to help people gear up to enjoy the night sky. They have a number of events coming up.

The Milwaukee Astronomical Society is also a great group to check out for those looking to get into stargazing and more. The group has an observatory in New Berlin and hosts different events.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.


Let's talk:
Hey there! At TMJ4 News, we're all about listening to our audience and tackling the stuff that really matters to you. Got a story idea, tip, or just want to chat about this piece? Hit us up using the form below. For more ways to get in touch, head over to tmj4.com/tips.


It’s about time to watch on your time. Stream local news and weather 24/7 by searching for “TMJ4” on your device.

Available for download on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, and more.


Report a typo or error // Submit a news tip