Watch: Fireball light up Spanish night sky

A striking celestial phenomenon occurred over the weekend across several Spanish regions.

On the evening of Saturday, May 4, a remarkable fireball, officially termed SPMN050524D, was seen streaking through the skies of Aragon, Catalonia, the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, La Rioja, and Navarra.

Captured by amateur and professional observers alike, this superbolide—essentially a very bright meteor—entered Earth’s atmosphere at an astonishing speed of 120,000 kilometres per hour.

Eyewitness accounts and captured moments

The event was recorded from multiple vantage points. In Benicasim, Castellon, Vicent Ibañez managed to capture video footage of the meteor’s ablation phases.

Meanwhile, Cesar Guasch from Sant Mateu, Castellon, also secured visuals. Further recordings came from Alex and Juan Gomez in Olocau, Valencia.

Barcelona residents, including David Molner from Sant Celoni, Lina Aguasca from Sant Fost de Campsentelles, and Jordi Gil from Esparraguera, provided additional evidence of the meteor’s journey across the sky.

Jordi Gil described the peak of the event, stating, ‘It can be seen in maximum brilliance, the night became day for a second,’ reported Telecinco.

SUPERBÓLIDO #SPMN030524F SOBRE #ZARAGOZA ANOCHE a las 22h14m46s TUC (0h14 CET de hoy). Así fue captado por Vicent Ibàñez @vicent_ibanyez desde Benicàssim, #Castellón. Bajo estudio en @ice_csic para confirmar posible caída de meteoritos. Más detalles:🤩
🔜➡️https://t.co/dyrGf8tuXZ pic.twitter.com/r3vZA8VySn

— Red Investigación Bólidos y Meteoritos (SPMN) (@RedSpmn) May 4, 2024

Meteorite recovery efforts

Estimated to be just under a metre in length, the meteorite is believed to be chondritic in composition. The Institute of Space Sciences of the CSIC is now tasked with analysing this phenomenon further.

Their goal is to model the trajectory’s distribution ellipse in hopes of recovering remnants of the meteorite. This analysis will not only enhance their understanding of such celestial bodies but also contribute to global meteoritic studies.

Each of these efforts underscores a keen interest in unlocking the secrets held by these fleeting visitors from space, as the scientific community and sky-watchers alike await the next bright spectacle to grace the heavens.