Fireball explodes over Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, turning night into day, Brazil
A very bright fireball turned the night sky into a day as it exploded over the Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, Brazil, at around 04:03 UTC (01:30 LT) on October 1, 2020. The American Meteor Society (AMS) received 35 witness reports, while the Brazilian Meteor Observation Network (BRAMON) was able to capture the phenomenon.
Based on BRAMON's preliminary analysis of the fireball's trajectory, it began to light up at about 89.5 km (55.6 miles) above the Rural Zone to the East of Caxias do Sul. The fireball traveled north at 16.9 km/s (10.5 mps) at an entry angle of 44°.
The meteor lit up for about six seconds, "easily overcoming the full moon's brightness until its final explosion," BRAMON wrote. It faded at 22 km (13.7 miles) over the city of Vacaria.
The AMS received 35 reports from witnesses in the Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina.
#Brasil | Bólido ilumina el cielo de Rio Grande do Sul y Santa Catarina en la madrugada de este 1 de octubre 2020 VIDEO pic.twitter.com/qtTewPrBBG
— Estación bcp Meteorología (@Estacion_bcp) October 2, 2020
Image credit: BRAMON
As of writing, BRAMON is gathering more reports and images for further analysis.
Fireball heatmap. Image credit: AMS
Featured image credit: BRAMON
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