Did you notice any flashes in the sky this Sunday, November 2? According to reports in various media outlets and specialized platforms, a surprising meteor flew over Portugal and Spain at 19:40.
In fact, several images and videos have been shared of this unexpected phenomenon, whose brilliance was so intense that it is said to have even overshadowed the moon itself. There are reports of sightings from Lousã to Seville, on the other side of the border.
It crossed the Iberian skies at high speed
Cited by Euronews, the SMART project (which monitors this type of phenomenon in the Iberian Peninsula and is coordinated by the Andalusian Astrophysics Institute) shared a video on YouTube explaining what happened:
The event was generated by a rock (a meteoroid) coming from a comet, which entered the atmosphere at around 81,000 kilometers per hour. The fireball flew over Portugal. It started at an altitude of approximately 97 kilometers over Lousã, moved northwest and ended about 43 kilometers over Amiozinho.”
Moment shared on social media
Platforms specializing in meteorology and astronomical observation such as Luso Meteo, Meteo Trás-os-Montes and the Bolides and Meteorites Research Network (in Spain) shared truly impressive images.
For example, in one of Luso Meteo’s Facebook posts, you can see a giant, bright flash, captured by a webcam installed in the Marinha Grande area.
Portugal has witnessed similar phenomena before, such as the spectacular supernova observed on May 19, 2024.
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