People out and about in southern California on Tuesday evening were surprised to see a green orb streaking through the night sky. While the otherworldly glow might have led some to question the existence of aliens and their possible arrival, stargazers at the local observatory soon put those worries to rest.

There were dozens of reports of sightings on the American Meteorology Society's website that day, with most saying they spotted a blue or green fireball in the sky.

"First time ever seeing something like this, and it was absolutely incredible!" one observer in Escondido, California, wrote in her report. Others said they saw it from inside their houses, with the windows closed.

According to ABC7, astronomers at the Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles said the green glow was the result ofspace debris entering our atmosphere.

But U.S. Navy Lt. Laura Stegherr of the U.S. Strategic Command said thatit wasn't a man-made objectfalling out of orbit, CBS Local reports.

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It may have been a meteor on the heels of the Lyrid Meteor Shower, which reached its peak on Friday.

"In this case, it's worth pointing out a noteworthy characteristic of Lyrids:they tend to create exploding fireballs," Darren Orf of Gizmodo writes.

Dr. Ed Krupp of the Griffith Observatory told KTLA that the meteor likely burned up in the atmosphere; a frequent occurrence, but it's unusual to get such a spectacular view.

Why the green coloration?

The meteor may have contained magnesium, which NASA explains burns a greenish-blue hue.

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