What will you learn?
1. What phenomenon was observed on Saturday evening over Europe?
2. What colors did the meteor observed over Portugal and Spain have?
3. According to the European Space Agency, where did the meteor come from?
4. What speed did the meteor reach as it passed through the atmosphere?
5. Did any fragments of the meteorite reach the Earth's surface?
Where did this unusual meteor come from?
According to the European Space Agency (ESA), the observed object was a fragment of a comet that broke off and sped through the Earth's atmosphere at an altitude of about 56 kilometers, moving at a speed of 2735 kilometers per hour. Astronomer Josep María Trigo, in a conversation with the Spanish newspaper "El Pais," suggested that the meteor could have been 20 to 30 centimeters in diameter. Although there were reports of falling fragments in Viseu (Portugal) in the media, the ESA considered it unlikely that any pieces reached the Earth's surface.
Why are meteors important for science?
Meteors and meteorites are valuable sources of information for scientists about the early stages of the Solar System. As such objects pass through the Earth's atmosphere, they can reveal a lot about their origins and the processes occurring in space. Observations of meteors, like the one seen over Portugal and Spain, provide scientists with data that can help improve our understanding of our cosmic neighborhood.
This phenomenon once again reminded us of the dynamic and unpredictable nature of our universe, and each such event attracts the attention of both professionals and amateur astronomers, providing them with a unique opportunity for observation and learning.
