An exceptionally bright meteor was seen over Spain and Portugal at 22:46 UTC on May 18, 2024 (00:46 local time, May 19), lighting up the night sky with a bright blue glow for several seconds and leaving a persistent trail in its wake.
Unconfirmed reports indicate that pieces of the meteor fell in the town of Pinheiro and near the town of Castro Daire, approximately 40 km (24 miles) south-southeast of Pinheiro. Both locations are in northern Portugal.
While these reports are plausible, based on the fireball’s trajectory and its angle of entry into the atmosphere, it is likely that most, if not all, pieces ended up in the Atlantic Ocean.
The meteor was described as unreal, massive, and a once-in-a-lifetime event.
NEWS: A bright meteor just spotted over Portugal pic.twitter.com/qKoBi6xs8h
— Curiosity (@MAstronomers) May 19, 2024
SUPERBÓLIDO #SPMN180524F REGISTRADO ANOCHE SOBRE #EXTREMADURA Y NORTE DE #PORTUGAL a las 22h46m40s TUC (0h46 CET). Así lo captó Miguel A. Furones @MAFurones en cámaras S y O desde Navianos de Valverde. Transformó día en noche y dejó estela persistente.
➡️ pic.twitter.com/pG09p0OtJf— Red Investigación Bólidos y Meteoritos (SPMN) (@RedSpmn) May 19, 2024
2) A TODO COLOR DESDE #MADRID por el Dr. Jaime Izquierdo @ObservaUCM @Fisicas_UCM. En palabras de nuestro coordinador, el astrofísico @Josep_Trigo @ice_csic “Fue un bólido de origen cometario en una trayectoria bastante rasante que se extendió sobrevolando #Cáceres hasta #Oporto” pic.twitter.com/LnsKBQHq0b
— Red Investigación Bólidos y Meteoritos (SPMN) (@RedSpmn) May 19, 2024
According to astrophysicist Dr. Josep M Trigo of CSIC-IEEC, this bolide had a cometary origin and was on a fairly low trajectory that extended over Caceres, Spain to Oporto, Portugal.
This would make the total distance of about 300 km (160 miles).
![spain portugal fireball may 18 2024 preliminary trajectory tw](https://watchers.news/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/spain-portugal-fireball-may-18-2024-preliminary-trajectory-tw-1024x677.webp)
While small meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere every day, objects as large as this one are seen and recorded over populated areas only once or twice per year.
“That’s crazy! Mad props to the person that was able to get this footage,” one eyewitness wrote on X.
A huge meteor just lighted up the sky of blue in Portugal moments ago pic.twitter.com/a6xApDFJDM
— (@Antunes1) May 18, 2024
JUST IN: Meteor spotted in the skies over Spain and Portugal.
This is insane.
Early reports claim that the blue flash could be seen darting through the night sky for hundreds of kilometers.
At the moment, it has not been confirmed if it hit the Earth’s surface however some… pic.twitter.com/PNMs2CDkW9
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) May 19, 2024
People who witnessed the event are invited to share their observations with the International Meteor Organization (IMO) using this form.
Featured image credit: X (unknown author)
Major X8.7 flare erupts from Region 3664 — the strongest solar flare of Solar Cycle 25
Tuesday, May 14, 2024
Powerful X5.8 solar flare erupts from Region 3664 during G5 – Extreme geomagnetic storm
Saturday, May 11, 2024
G5 – Extreme geomagnetic storm following strong CME impact
Saturday, May 11, 2024
Historic floods hit Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Monday, May 6, 2024
Bright meteor illuminates sky across Great Lakes region
Sunday, May 5, 2024
Catastrophic floods hit Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, leaving at least 83 dead, over 100 missing
Thursday, May 2, 2024
Bright green fireball over Long Island, New York
Monday, April 29, 2024