Exploding meteor lights skies

A bright blue light that lit up the skies early Tuesday morning, at about 6:15 a.m., is believed to have been a small meteorite exploding as it entered the atmosphere.

Known as a bolide, a small piece of space rock smaller than a potato can cause a flash seen over a wide area when it breaks up and explodes.

The flash was reported from several diverse areas of Elmore County, and at least in Boise County as well, although the exact trajectory of the bolide was not immediately known.

A meteor last year that exploded just south of McCall was seen in Elmore County, as well.