BEND, Ore. (AP) -- Could it have been Rudolph's nose, gleaming brightly? Or maybe just a meteorite in the making?

All across Central Oregon last night, there were reports of a fireball seen streaking to the ground.

Keith Clinton, who lives east of Bend says he saw a "large, bright green fireball descend out of the cloudless sky east of Bend."

An example of a meteor streaking through the sky. (File Photo)

Clinton says the fireball turned yellow and exploded about 10 degrees above the horizon, breaking into several pieces as it did.

Meanwhile, near Redmond, Spencer Krueger reported that his wife had seen a "fist-sized flaming orange ball with a tail."

And someone near Prineville called the Crook County sheriff's office to report a meteorite that had come crashing to the ground.

Authorities checked with the Redmond Airport to see if any small planes had gone off radar screens or gone missing, but nothing of the sort was reported.