The International Meteor Organization, a nonprofit dedicated to tracking meteors, is reeling from a cyberattack that has taken down much of its site. In a statement, the organization announced, “We recently suffered a cyberattack that dealt a critical blow to aging infrastructure, taking much of our site offline.” It’s estimated that several weeks of partial downtime will be needed as the organization transitions to new infrastructure and services.

Despite the setback, the organization is prioritizing the reporting of fireball observations, which can still be submitted through a dedicated link. Meanwhile, those interested in staying updated can follow the organization’s Facebook page.

The IMO, founded in 1988, has played a significant role in standardizing the reporting of meteor observations. Its databases, consisting of text, photos, and videos, are considered essential by many in the field. The organization also publishes the bimonthly WGN journal, short for Working Group News.

The question remains: why target an organization that tracks large, fiery space objects? The motives behind the cyberattack and any potential data theft are unclear. Even in the digital age, perhaps the real threat comes from the meteors of another kind.