Late Saturday night, residents of Spain and Portugal were treated to a breathtaking celestial display as a bright comet fragment streaked across the sky, resembling a scene straight out of a movie. The European Space Agency (ESA) captured the stunning event on Sunday morning, sharing a mesmerizing video taken by its \"fireball camera\" over the western Spanish city of Caceres, near the Portuguese border.
Initially described as a \"stunning meteor,\" the ESA later clarified that the object was a \"small piece of a comet,\" traveling at an impressive speed of 45 kilometers per second before disintegrating over the Atlantic Ocean. The agency noted that the chances of any meteorites being found are very low.
Videos capturing the event from various cities in both countries quickly went viral on social media. Spectators filmed the object darting through the night sky, glowing in vibrant blue and green hues. During a concert in Barcelos, Portugal, the comet fragment was visible as performers took the stage, adding an unforgettable backdrop to the event. Another video showed Porto's skyline briefly illuminated by the bright streak.
The Spanish Calar Alto Astronomical Observatory announced that a preliminary analysis by Andalusia's Institute of Astrophysics confirmed the object's cometary origin. Meanwhile, emergency services in Madrid received multiple calls from concerned residents witnessing the unexpected phenomenon.
Bernardo Taborda, a 31-year-old Lisbon resident, described the moment, saying, \"It almost looked like daylight… we all looked back and saw it. It felt like a movie; we all looked at each other, and we were stunned. It was amazing.\"
As the comet fragment continues to intrigue both scientists and the public, it serves as a reminder of the awe-inspiring events that our universe can present.
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Comet fragment lights up sky over Spain and Portugal 'like a movie'
cgtn.com
