Melbourne, May 12 — A stunning fireball streaked across the night sky, captivating thousands and igniting a frenzy of speculation on social media. As videos from mobile phones and dashcams flooded platforms, users debated what exactly had lit up the heavens — was it a Soviet-era Venus probe, Elon Musk’s rocket, a meteor, or even a comet?
While the spectacle sparked widespread awe, experts offer clarity on what such celestial events usually entail and how to distinguish between meteors, comets, space junk, and rocket activity.
Shooting Stars, Meteors, and Bolides: A Fiery Descent
Shooting stars, commonly spotted on clear nights in the countryside, are actually small dust particles or pebbles burning up in Earth’s atmosphere above 50 kilometres. These brief flashes typically last just a second or two and are often associated with comets, whose orbits leave behind the debris responsible for these phenomena.While “shooting stars” and “meteors” are essentially the same, the term “meteor” is frequently used for larger, brighter events known as bolides. These occur when larger space rocks plunge into the atmosphere, producing blinding light and sometimes even sonic booms. Occasionally, fragments known as meteorites survive the descent and reach Earth’s surface.
One notable example, the Chelyabinsk meteor in Russia, glowed intensely for only about 20 seconds but caused significant impact and damage.
Why It Probably Wasn’t a Comet
Despite popular belief, comets rarely produce the fast-moving light flashes seen in such events. Due to their vast distances from Earth, comets move imperceptibly to the human eye and display a far more subtle, steady glow, not a blazing streak.Could It Be Space Junk?
Given the increase in satellite launches and orbital debris, space junk reentry is another plausible explanation. Unlike meteors, space junk often enters Earth’s atmosphere at a slower speed — about 8 kilometres per second — and travels along the Earth’s curvature. This horizontal trajectory allows it to burn for several minutes, covering hundreds of kilometres.Viewers can often identify the fiery breakup of space junk due to its prolonged visibility, slow speed, and the coloured flames generated by materials like steel and aluminium burning in the atmosphere.
Rocket Launches and Atmospheric Shows
Rocket launches, especially from well-known sites like Cape Canaveral (US), Vandenberg Space Force Base (US), and Wairoa (New Zealand), can also produce spectacular visuals. While near-ground launches are accompanied by thunderous noise and flame, higher-altitude stages are quieter and more visual, sometimes creating large plumes or spirals as rockets vent fuel or adjust trajectories.These space-bound vehicles can be visible far from their launch sites, and the expanding gas clouds created during secondary ignitions or orbit boosts may be mistaken for strange sky phenomena.
Understanding the Blaze: A Cosmic Puzzle Worth Watching
While fireballs might initially baffle spectators, they are usually identifiable with a basic understanding of space objects and human-made activity in orbit. Whether it’s a fleeting meteor, a fragment of space junk, or a rocket’s exhaust plume, each tells a story of our dynamic skies.So next time something blazes overhead, don’t just scroll — look up. The universe might be putting on a rare and dazzling show.