BETHEL, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- People across the country are still talking about the fireball that lit up the sky very early Tuesday morning.
Scientists say the meteor entered Earth's atmosphere over Maine, and exploded near Franklin County.
The Maine Mineral and Gem Museum won't officially open until next spring, but researchers there are hoping for the chance to look at any fragments from the meteorite, hoping to learn more about the solar system.
They recently held a meeting to create a fireball network, setting up more cameras throughout the state to capture events like this, and better collect data from the skies.
"They're really important scientifically because it gives some insight to what was going on when the solar system formed," said Carl Francis.
As the curator for the Maine Mineral and Gem Museum, Francis can't wait to see a piece of what fell from the sky early Tuesday morning.
It's only the 6th meteorite on record to land in this state…that's why museum officials are offering up a 20-thousand dollar reward for anyone who finds it.
"First and foremost this time of year, bring your bug spray because I think you're going to be heading into the woods by the looks of where this landed," said museum director, Barbra Barrett.
Based on all of the views caught on camera of the fireball, experts believe the meteorite landed around 18 miles west of Rangeley.
Barrett also says it's a good idea to bring a metal detector or a magnet, because meteorites contain iron.
Researchers within the lab, in the bowels of the museum, are really hoping for the chance to just learn. In turn, offering the chance for museum visitors to do the same.
"This is going to be just the connection that the general public has to the subject of the museum and they will want to see the actual thing because they will have heard about and seen videos of the fireball," said Francis.
"Then to come in and see the actual object is just a great opportunity, and then to learn about what it means, what it's made of where did it come from and what is the interpretation, how do we interpret the significance with this."
Francis says it appears the meteor itself was about 5-feet in diameter when it came through the atmosphere at 39-thousand miles per hour.
Museum officials are hoping to salvage something the size of a softball.
