Long-lasting fireball over Puerto Rico
A large meteor entered the atmosphere over the Caribbean Sea at around 08:55 UTC (04:55 LT) on July 16, 2021, and was visible for 27 seconds. The object had a turquoise green color, suggesting it contained magnesium and copper.
Eddie Irizarry, vice president of the Caribbean Astronomy Society (SAC), said this event was significant.
"We managed to capture images that show it was visible for 27 seconds," Irizarry said. "Despite the long duration of the meteor, it was not space debris, but a natural meteor, that is, a space rock disintegrating through the atmosphere."
According to his estimates, the object was between 2 and 5 m (6.5 – 16 feet) in diameter.
The object began to disintegrate at a height of 110 km (79 miles) over northwestern Puerto Rico, near Isabela, and moved east toward the small island of Culebra.
"Several cameras that we have in different parts of the island show that it began to be visible at 04:55 with 35 seconds, and culminating at 04:56 with 2 seconds. It practically crossed the sky almost from one end to the other," said Juan González Alicea, president of the SAC.
Featured image credit: SAC
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
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.