Which organization stated that the 2018 California sky object was part of a meteor?

• A. NASA
• B. ESA
• C. JAXA
• D. NOAA

Answer: (A)

Authority on space-events statements comes from agencies with meteor science experience. In this case, NASA issued the public statement that the 2018 sky object over California was a meteor. NASA is the U.S. space agency that analyzes meteors using data from ground cameras, satellites, and scientific models to classify such events. The other agencies listed—ESA and JAXA—are European and Japanese space agencies focused on exploration and research, not the primary source for this specific attribution. NOAA focuses on weather and atmospheric conditions, not identifying astronomical objects as meteors in this context. A meteor is a small rocky or metallic fragment entering Earth's atmosphere and burning up, producing a bright streak. So NASA is the most reliable source for that determination.