Spectacular Meteor Illuminates The Sky In Spain And Portugal; Dazzles Onlookers

LISBON: In a rare sighting, a stunning blue fireball illuminated the night sky, mesmerizing the onlookers who were quite simply awestruck as they gazed at the celestial body.

This once-in-a-lifetime sighting has taken netizens by storm and has generated quite a buzz on social media with videos of the meteor doing the rounds everywhere.

Reports indicated sightings of the meteor spanning hundreds of kilometers, sparking curiosity and speculation among observers. 

While initial reports suggested the meteor’s trajectory, its precise landing location remained unconfirmed.

In several videos, individuals can be observed capturing various perspectives of the meteor. What remains consistent across all recordings is the vivid blue hue of the fiery celestial object, which illuminated the night sky for a few fleeting seconds before vanishing.

Speculations differed with some accounts suggesting it may have fallen near the town of Castro Daire, while others indicated proximity to Pinheiro.

Despite extensive searches by firefighters following multiple reports, no debris or impact site has been located as of now.

However, there has been no official confirmation of the meteor sighting.

Meanwhile, According to NASA, "Scientists estimate that about 48.5 tons (44 tonnes or 44,000 kilograms) of meteoritic material falls on Earth each day. Almost all the material is vaporized in Earth's atmosphere, leaving a bright trail fondly called 'shooting stars.' Several meteors per hour can usually be seen on any given night. Sometimes, the number increases dramatically—these events are termed meteor showers."

"Meteor showers occur annually or at regular intervals as the Earth passes through the trail of dusty debris left by a comet. Meteor showers are usually named after a star or constellation that is close to where the meteors appear in the sky. Perhaps the most famous are the Perseids, which peak in August every year," the American space agency added.

ALSO READ: NASA upbeat about greater space cooperation with South Korea

ALSO WATCH: