Bright fireball explodes over Tasmania and Victoria, Australia

A bright fireball was recorded streaking through the night sky between Tasmania and Victoria, Australia around 10:31 UTC (20:41 AEST) on September 20, 2019. The event was followed by what some residents described as 'massive big bang.'

"We are certainly talking about a significant event, something we don't often see," said astronomer Martin George of the Queen Victoria Museum's Planetarium.

George said the object might have been the size of a soccer ball or larger and estimated it would have been about 20 – 30 km (12 – 18 miles) above Earth's surface when it faded.

It is possible some pieces of it survived atmospheric entry but the trajectory suggests they ended up in the Bass Strait.

Australia fireball trajectory and heatmap – September 20, 2019. Credit: American Meteor Society (AMS)

Although the AMS received just 5 reports, the event was seen by many.

"A few seconds later was like a massive big bang of thunder and a friend rang and she'd been down in the town and said there were people everywhere," an eyewitness told ABC.

Featured image credit: Adam y