[meteorite-list] Fireball Over Spain on April 4

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 5 Apr 2016 12:10:38 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201604051910.u35JAcfK004925_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/giant-fireball-ten-times-brighter-7688056

Giant fireball 'ten times brighter than the moon' turns day to night in
this spectacular footage
By Rachel Bishop
The Mirror
April 4, 2016

[Video]
Scientists caught the natural phenomenon that was caused by a piece of
meteorite breaking off from a comet and hitting the Earth's atmosphere

Spanish scientists have captured the moment a fireball said to be ten
times brighter than the moon hurtled through the sky.

The natural phenomenon was registered by the La Hita Observatory in Toledo
in the early hours of this morning.

The incredible sight was caused by a 30kg meteorite, which had broken
off from a comet, hitting the Earth's atmosphere.

The spectacle could also reportedly be seen in southern and eastern Spain,
including the regions of Castilla-La Mancha, Valencia, Murcia and Andalusia.

Jose Maria Mateido, a professor at the University of Huelva in south-western
Spain, explained that the fireball gave out the extraordinarily bright
light when it hit the Earth's atmosphere at around 56,000 mph.

Giant fireball ten times brighter than the moon turns night into day
He said: "This amazing fireball turned the night into day for a fraction
of a second."

The natural phenomenon was registered by the La Hita Observatory in Toledo,
in central Spain
The fireball is just one in a series of similar spectacles which have
been gracing the night sky in the last few months.

Mr Mateido analyses these meteorites as an astrophysicist for Spain's
Spectroscopy of Meteoroids in the Atmosphere by means of Robotic Technologies
(SMART) project, which is a collaboration between Spanish observatories.
Received on Tue 05 Apr 2016 03:10:38 PM PDT