Huge "fireball" meteor streaks over Vancouver night sky
There have been numerous reports of a large, bright meteor with a long tail streaking over Vancouver’s night skies this evening.
The event occurred at approximately 10:15 p.m., and Vancouverites who witnessed it quickly took to Twitter to share their experiences.
Witnesses say it was so bright to the point that the entire sky and ground lit up from its illumination. The meteor was green in colour and traveled from south to north.
A boom could be heard seconds after it passed, which could indicate that a large meteor disintegrated in mid-air or made contact with land.
The phenomenon could be related to the highly active Perseid Meteor Shower, which peaked from August 11 to 13.
Such incidents frequently occur on Earth, although most meteors burn up as they enter our atmosphere, resulting in the typical “shooting star” meteor shower.
However, on February 15, 2013, a massive fireball meteor streaked over Russia in broad daylight. A shockwave one minute later caused thousands of windows to shatter in the city of Chelyabinsk, injuring approximately 1,500 people from mainly glass-related injuries.
Scientists estimated the meteor from the Russian event weighed 100,000 tonnes and had a diameter of 55 feet before it exploded over the Ural Mountains and crashed into a frozen lake.
Video compilation of the Chelyabinsk meteor event over Russia on February 15, 2013.
[youtube id=”dpmXyJrs7iU”]
The image above is a depiction of what the event closely resembled. If you have any photos and videos of Monday evening’s Vancouver event, please share them with us at [email protected].
Did anyone see that #meteor? #Vancouver
— Shingo Kido (@ShingoKido) August 19, 2014
Anyone see what looked like a #meteor flash over #Vancouver #yvr in the last minute or so?
— Scott Simmons (@saltspringRE) August 19, 2014
Anyone else see what looked like a meteor over #Vancouver?
— St John Alexander (@ctv_stjohn) August 19, 2014
Anyone see that big #meteor over #vancouver right now? #soocoooll
— Rumin Mann (@ruminmann) August 19, 2014
meteor just lit up our street in Vancouver travelling south to north #vancouvermeteor #vancouver #meteor
— Michael Negraeff MD (@MichaelNegraeff) August 19, 2014
Huge fireball over downtown #Vancouver #Meteor | Passed directly over Burrard St
— sherri moore (@sherrimoore_a) August 19, 2014
just saw a crazy light fall out of the sky. looked like a cross between a firework and a meteor burning up on reentry #Vancouver #Meteor
— Nicholas Alan Eddy (@eddynick_eddy) August 19, 2014
Just saw a massive meteor streak over #vancouver then a couple of min later heard a faint boom.
— Nick Boariu (@nbdeagle) August 19, 2014
Just saw a #meteor burn up in the sky outside my window. Cool! #NewWestminster #Vancouver
— Mar Tin (@MartiSphere) August 19, 2014
Anybody else see that meteor fly through the sky above Greater #Vancouver?
— Neil Parkinson-Dow (@NeilPDow) August 19, 2014
Just saw a meteor trail right over Vancouver #fireball
— Dave Pinton (@davepinton) August 19, 2014
Crazy bright #meteor over #Vancouver. Lit up the whole backyard! Broke apart heading north west. Sonic boom a bit later.
— Yarko Petriw (@RiskAce) August 19, 2014
Anyone else see a huge meteor tonight? #Vancouver #yvr
— ɹǝʇsǝʌlʎs ʎɹɐƃ (@garywsylvester) August 19, 2014
Just saw a big #meteor #Vancouver
— Helen Eady (@Shovelita) August 19, 2014
Did anyone see a meteor? #vancouver
— lisastylegirl (@lisastylegirl) August 19, 2014
@CKNW Fireball / #meteor was clearly visible from downtown Vancouver on Burrard.
— sherri moore (@sherrimoore_a) August 19, 2014
Super bright #meteor #Vancouver just now. Anyone know why it was #green?
— Keisin Tamasiro (@ksin86) August 19, 2014
Super bright #meteor #Vancouver just now. Anyone know why it was #green?
— Keisin Tamasiro (@ksin86) August 19, 2014
I think a meteor just flew across False Creek in btw a few buildings on Pacific St! Came down around 10:07pm. #meteor #vancouver #globalbc
— LaShay Carr (@lashaycarr) August 19, 2014
@ericnwright @ShingoKido @Maky8889 it was so bright and so close that I also thought it would hit #Vancouver #Meteor
— Monika Sosnowska (@msosnowska) August 19, 2014
I missed it but am looking fwd to analysis for green-ish meteor / comet / UFO in Vancouver, BC tonight. @coasttocoastam any insights?
— Randy Carter (@Carter_CAN) August 19, 2014
Wow!! So that’s what that BOOM was! #Meteor in Vancouver #fb
— OnlyAisbaby (@aisbaby) August 19, 2014
Damn I wish I didn’t miss the meteor. I sure heard that boom though. #Vancouver #Coquitlam
— Canucks Hockey (@CanucksOnARoll) August 19, 2014
Featured Image: NASA
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