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On Sunday night, people in different parts of the United Kingdom spotted a large ‘fireball’ meteor streaking across the sky.
Meteors are space matter burning up as they enter the earth’s atmosphere. Fireballs are particularly bright meteors that in theory might be visible in daylight.
Last night’s meteor, which was spotted just before 10PM and visible for around seven seconds, was captured on security cameras, and by eagle-eyed skywatchers in Manchester, Cardiff, Honiton, Bath, Midsomer Norton, London, Cornwall, and Milton Keynes, among others.
One eyewitness in Birmingham, reports WalesOnline, described it as a “massive fireball”, with others saying they heard a “sizzling sound” as it moved through the sky.
Check it out from eight different angles, followed by a few more videos and pictures from YouTube and Twitter:
Amazing footage of tonight’s #meteor burning up in the skies above the UK. Lots of reports of people spotting it! pic.twitter.com/fUE1sBYTT4
— Tom Munns (@TomMunns1) March 1, 2021
So a meteor just hit the UK and this is a picture I took from my window of the smoke trail it left.. The moon is right in the middle of it hence it shinning 😂 pic.twitter.com/q2kzgZBVCi
— Dr. Chaotic (@Dr_Chaotic_91) February 28, 2021
Good video of tonight’s #meteor over the U.K.
It looks exactly like the one over Turkey yesterday, glowing green as it hits the atmosphere!
🤨
pic.twitter.com/i6VuU0KR5b— Barrington Mole (@BarringtonMole) February 28, 2021
Hey look! Managed to capture video of the #meteor via our Ring doorbell. #Calgary @GlobalCalgary pic.twitter.com/qaIBfazhUd
— Melissa Gilligan (@MeliGilligan) February 22, 2021
For those less enthused by the size and proximity of the meteor, The War of the Worlds, H. G. Wells’ novel which tells the story of a Martian invasion of Earth, was a common theme on Twitter:
Sunday night in the UK: Oooo a meteor, we don’t get those often.
Monday morning in the UK: OOOOOOOOLAAAAAH!#meteor pic.twitter.com/Z7IHrxcYIO
— The All New Dom Show (@TheNewDomShow) February 28, 2021
Who has this on their bingo card? #meteor pic.twitter.com/B2dOGIa8cH
— I_Clavdius (@68_dominic) February 28, 2021
Sunday nights #meteor versus Monday morning breakfast time 🛸 pic.twitter.com/jFGcViQYwE
— Nedward (@NewCoNedward) March 1, 2021
The novel was adapted into a radio drama, a few television series, and a horrible film starring Tom Cruise, which explains the diversity of images above.
Thankfully none are from the film, which means there’s hope for humanity.
The UK Meteor Network says a fireball meteor is “simply a bright meteor streaking across the sky”, and that there’s no need for panic.
Last year, a 2018 fireball that lit up the skies over Michigan was back in the news after scientists revealed that it took the meteorite 12 million years to make the journey to our planet.
Some of the meteorites remained intact, allowing scientists to study them, and they reckon it’s proof that much of Earth’s organic material was delivered here from space.
Very cool, all around.
[source:walesonline]
