A dazzling comet fragment lit up the skies over Spain and Portugal late Saturday, leaving residents in awe as the night turned momentarily into day. The European Space Agency (ESA) confirmed the spectacle, describing it as a “stunning meteor” captured by their fireball camera over the western Spanish city of Caceres, near the Portuguese border.
Initial observations suggested it was a meteor, but further analysis by the ESA indicated it was likely “a small piece of a comet” traveling at an astonishing 45 kilometers per second before it burned up over the Atlantic Ocean.
Videos of the event quickly went viral on social media, showcasing the brilliant object streaking across the sky in hues of blue and green. In Portugal, concertgoers in the city of Barcelos captured the moment as the comet fragment illuminated the atmosphere above them. Similar sightings were reported in Porto, where the sky brightened dramatically for several seconds.
Bernardo Taborda, a 31-year-old resident of Lisbon, recounted his experience: “We were walking around the city when suddenly the sky turned bright green. It almost looked like daylight. It felt like a movie; we all looked at each other, stunned. It was amazing.”
The unexpected light show prompted numerous calls to emergency services in both countries. Spanish emergency service 112 in Madrid reported receiving several inquiries from concerned citizens.
Astronomical organizations, including Spain’s Calar Alto observatory and Andalusia’s Institute of Astrophysics, confirmed the cometary origin of the fragment. The ESA noted that the likelihood of any meteorites being found is very low due to the fragment burning up in the atmosphere over the ocean.
This event highlights the continuous activity of celestial bodies interacting with Earth’s atmosphere, offering spectacular sights that captivate people around the world. While such occurrences are rare, they remind us of the dynamic nature of our solar system.
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Comet fragment lights up sky over Spain and Portugal 'like a movie'
cgtn.com
