Over the weekend, a breathtaking sight unfolded in the skies of Portugal and Spain as a colossal blue-green meteor carved its path. Captivating videos capturing this rare event showcase its awe-inspiring beauty and astonishing impact.
On Saturday, May 18, millions of people were astonished and concerned when they witnessed a fireball hurtling dangerously close to Earth. Initially unsure of the nature of this spectacle, The European Space Agency (ESA) was able to confirm it as a meteor after capturing footage on its cameras in Cáceres, Spain, at 6:46 PM EDT.
A fireball streaked through the sky at a blazing speed of around 10,000 miles per hour. The European Space Agency (ESA) indicates that it probably disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, but there is still a chance that it made contact with Earth. The Planetary Defence Office is currently examining the size and path of the object to determine the likelihood of any debris reaching the surface.
Social media users, including media personality Collin Rugg, have captured incredible footage of the meteor, captivating viewers across the internet.
According to initial reports, eyewitnesses spotted a vibrant blue flash streaking across the night sky, covering a distance of several hundred kilometers. Although it is yet to be verified whether it made contact with the Earth’s surface, there are speculations that it may have descended close to the town of Castro Daire. Alternatively, some reports suggest that it could have been nearer to Pinheiro.
Meteors, also referred to as shooting stars, are fragments from comets, asteroids, or even the moon that break off and descend into the Earth’s atmosphere. Most of these objects disintegrate before they can reach the ground. In the rare cases where they survive, they are usually reduced to dust or small rocks known as meteorites.
