The International Meteor Organization (IMO) suffered a “critical blow” from a cyberattack on Wednesday, taking much of its website offline. The organization, founded in 1988, coordinates and publishes observations of meteor phenomena from both amateur and professional observers.
According to a static page on its website, the IMO expects “several weeks of partial downtime as we transition to new infrastructure and services.” The organization is currently prioritizing the reporting of fireball observations, and information is also being shared on its Facebook page.
The IMO is known for establishing unified standards for reporting meteor observations and maintains databases of reported sightings—including text, photos, and videos—considered essential within the field. It also publishes the bimonthly *WGN* journal, short for Working Group News.
The motive behind the cyberattack remains unclear, as does the potential value of the organization’s data, which is largely public. “I am very sad to see the site down,” the IMO stated.
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