Something spectacular took place over Portugal and Spain over the weekend and thankfully, it was captured in various videos that have been shared on social media.
A blue-green fireball, or more accurately a meteor, lit up in night sky in a stunning display.
Netizen, @milarefacho, has since captured the hearts of many when she unexpectedly captured the meteor in a video, which has since been dubbed the coolest video on the internet.
In the video, @milarefacho could be seen interacting with the camera when the meteor lit up the night sky behind her. She then looked back at the sky in awe as the meteor zoomed by.
The Quick News Alert Twitter page also managed to get their hands on dashcam footage where the meteor’s gorgeous effect could be seen in all its glory.
According to a report by Space.com, the European Space Agency (ESA) has since confirmed that the meteor was a small piece of a comet.
“We estimate that it flew over Spain and Portugal, travelling at 45km/s before burning up over the Atlantic Ocean at an altitude of 60km. The likelihood of any meteorites being found is very low,” they explained.
Additionally, a meteor’s colour is an indication of its chemical composition, with a blue-green colour meaning it is burning up magnesium.
One type of meteorite known to bear magnesium are the ‘pallasites’, which contain large olive-green crystals that are a form of magnesium-iron silicate called olivine.
You can check out the videos of the gorgeous meteor here:
What do you think about this? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
Also read: The Skies Around Selangor Turned Green Last Night, Here’s Why!