A huge fireball appeared in the skies of mainland Europe this weekend. Stunned bystanders reported that it was bright enough to sparkle brightly in the daytime sky.
Eyewitnesses claim that the explosion was so strong that it literally shook the earth, making many think an earthquake was taking place. Here is what Iva Tatić of Total Croatia News reported:
“I've heard it personally. Witness, if you like. I was sitting in my chair [when] I heard a loud, deep rumbling, very different from the usual sounds occurring in my area at this time of day. '
“At first I thought that a huge truck had passed on a very narrow street under my window, but there was no truck. Then I came to the conclusion that it must be an earthquake. Many people said they heard a loud bang and felt the earth tremble. '
Asteroids and meteors produce a bright explosion of fire when they enter the atmosphere, this is due to the fact that the space rock meets resistance from the Earth's atmosphere.
Air seeps into the pores and cracks of the rock, tearing it apart. Here is what the International Meteorological Organization (IMO) reports:
'Fireballs are meteors that appear brighter than usual. Because of the speed with which they hit the Earth's atmosphere, debris larger than one millimeter can create a bright flash as it passes through the atmosphere. These bright meteors are what we call fireballs and they often cause fear and awe in those who see them. '
However, the power of the explosion, noted by eyewitnesses, suggests that this meteor was not so tiny. Therefore, the need to observe such objects remains quite acute.
Despite the fact that the likelihood of a large asteroid hitting the Earth is small – NASA experts say that there is a 300% probability that when the average asteroid reaches the Earth's surface, the consequences will be extremely destructive.
