Fireball as bright as the full Moon spotted over southern Spain
A fireball as bright as the full Moon was recorded streaking through the night sky over southern Span at 04:08 UTC on January 2, 2021.
This bolide was generated by a rock from a comet that hit the atmosphere at about 230 000 km/h.
The fireball began at an altitude of about 113 km (70 miles) over Andalusia and ended at a height of around 58 km (36 miles).
This bright meteor was recorded in the framework of the SMART project, operated by the Southwestern Europe Meteor Network (SWEMN) from the meteor-observing stations located at Sevilla, La Sagra (Granada), and La Hita (Toledo).
The event has been analyzed by the principal investigator of the SMART project, Dr. Jose M. Madiedo, from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC).
Featured image credit: SMART Project
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.