A very bright fireball exploded over the skies of the Rio de La Plata area at around 01:15 UTC on February 2, 2025, creating a spectacular display for people of both Uruguay and Argentina.
Fireball seen over Rio de La Plata, Argentina and Uruguay on February 2, 2025. Image credit: DiarioHoy (stillshot)
A very bright fireball exploded over the Rio de La Plata, Argentina at approximately 01:15 UTC on February 2 (22:15 local time on February 1). The Rio de La Plata area, situated south of Uruguay, shares a coastline with Argentina.
Social media reports indicate that the fireball had a green trail, which suggests the presence of magnesium. This color may also suggest that the object was space debris, as magnesium is commonly used in spacecraft components such as fuselage structures and engine frames.
The American Meteor Society (AMS) has received only one report of this event so far. A witness from Balneario Buenos Aires described the fireball as white, saying there was lightning followed by what appeared to be a fire explosion.