Meteor illuminates German night sky
In an extraordinary celestial phenomenon, a mesmerizing meteor illuminated the night sky, leaving a trail of brilliance across the eastern regions of Germany on Sunday, January 21.
The impact around 1:30 am local time was predicted by astronomers. Michael Aye, a researcher at a Planetary research institute in Berlin, was able to capture the meteor after a tip from his colleague Franck Marchis at SETI Institute.
According to NASA, the tiny asteroid was set to “disintegrate as a harmless fireball” west of Berlin near the town of Nennhausen in Brandenburg.
Heads Up: A tiny asteroid will disintegrate as a harmless fireball west of Berlin near Nennhausen shortly at 1:32am CET. Overseers will see it if it’s clear!
— NASA Asteroid Watch (@AsteroidWatch) January 21, 2024
A dazzling moment, usually only captured by chance or permanently installed webcams, the asteroid, approximately 1 meter in diameter, struck above an area west of Berlin.
The event marked only the eighth time an asteroid was detected before impact, underscoring the rarity of such occurrences.
The asteroid posed no danger to people on the ground despite its impressive display in the night sky.
Witnesses described the meteor as a brilliant streak, leaving behind a luminous trail that painted the sky with shades of vibrant hues.
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The celestial visitor seemingly defied gravity as it hurtled through the Earth’s atmosphere, captivating onlookers with its swift and majestic descent.
The meteor’s fiery path was visible for several seconds, illuminating the surroundings with an ethereal glow.
Residents across eastern Germany witnessed the meteor, a small outer space body, illuminating the night sky as it broke up into several fragments before completely burning out.
Meteors are objects in space that range in size from dust grains to small asteroids. When they heat up in Earth’s atmosphere, they make a bright trail.
Videos and eyewitness reports flooded social media and local news, making it a notable event for both astronomers and sky enthusiasts.
INCREDIBLE VIDEO of an #Astroid burning up as it enters the eastern #Germany night sky yesterday. This was well advertised by @AsteroidWatch
— Mike Masco (@MikeMasco) January 21, 2024
The asteroid was observed by numerous observatories across various European countries, including Hungarian researcher and asteroid hunter, Krisztián Sárneczky.
