Very bright fireball over downtown Beijing, China

A very bright fireball was observed in the skies over downtown Beijing, China at 11:40 UTC (19:40 local time) on Monday, January 29, 2024, creating a spectacular sight for residents and visitors.

The meteor monitoring cameras of CMMO-52 Beijing Laogou Station and CMMO-17 Beijing Shunyi Station simultaneously captured the event. The peak brightness of the meteor exceeded that of the full moon. Preliminary calculations suggest the object belongs to the Zeta Ursae Majoris meteor group.

This astronomical phenomenon, characterized by a sudden and intense light, is commonly caused by a meteor entering the Earth’s atmosphere and burning up, resulting in a bright and fast-moving light across the sky.

Fireballs, especially ones as bright as the one witnessed in Beijing today, are a rare occurrence over populated areas and are often followed by sonic booms. Sonic booms occur when the meteor travels through the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed exceeding the speed of sound, creating a powerful shockwave. This can sometimes be heard on the ground as a loud, explosive noise, adding an auditory element to the visual spectacle of the fireball.

In the case of the Beijing fireball, there have been no confirmed reports of an accompanying sonic boom as of yet. The lack of a sonic boom can be influenced by several factors, such as the altitude at which the meteor disintegrated or its trajectory in relation to densely populated areas. However, as investigations continue and more witness accounts are gathered, further information is likely to emerge regarding the presence of a sonic boom associated with this event.

It is also likely that some fragments of the object survived their entry into the Earth’s atmosphere and are now scattered as meteorites on the ground.

Special thanks to Jim Yang for posting the video and providing a valuable visual record of the event.

Featured image credit: Jim Yang (stillshot)