They immediately took to social media to talk about what they saw. Many said it was a fireball that streaked across the sky.
Eyewitness News viewer David Dodge sent in video from his car's dash cam as he was driving through Via Princessa in Canyon Country. You can see the light flashing in the distance as it streaks across the night sky.
The meteor was seen by people across the southwest U.S. from Santa Barbara to parts of Mexico.
Officials say the meteor shower was most likely associated with the Southern Taurids meteor shower that is known to be especially active in early November.
Astronomers say the Taurids don't bring a large number of meteors, just extremely bright ones and can enter the Earth's atmosphere at a whopping 65,000 mph. Even the smallest, tiniest meteors will make a very vivid, streak of light.
"I was just watching and it was coming in like slow motion. It was as big as, I would say, about a cantaloupe, but it was perfectly round," said a Whittier man who only identified himself as Bill.
Many witnesses took to social media to share what they saw.
"Is it possible for a meteorite to illuminate the entire night sky, much like lightning would? For only about half a second?" tweeted Randy Banks.
"Saw the whole horizon light up 46 miles outside of Barstow," tweeted Audrey Bagley.
Los Angeles City Councilmember Tom LaBonge also witnessed the celestial spectacle.
"Coming down Pico Boulevard going east, and boom it was across the sky," said LaBonge. "It was as bright as could be and then it went out. At first I thought, it's not Fourth of July, what is happening, illegal fireworks. But it was this meteor that came across the sky, bright and it was very thick."
Stargazers may want to start watching the sky, as Taurid meteors are expected to remain active through early November.
