Bright Comet Fragment Illuminates Skies Over Spain and Portugal
A bright fragment of a comet lit up the skies over parts of Spain and Portugal late on Saturday, according to the European Space Agency (ESA). The dazzling display captivated many, with one Lisbon resident describing the experience as “feeling like a movie”.
Spectacular Display Captured
On Sunday morning, the ESA shared a video on X (formerly Twitter), captured by its “fireball camera”, showing a “stunning meteor” over the western Spanish city of Caceres, near the Portuguese border. However, the ESA later clarified that the object was likely a “small piece of a comet”, not a meteor. The comet fragment travelled at an estimated speed of 45 km (28 miles) per second before burning up over the Atlantic Ocean.
“The likelihood of any meteorites being found is very low,” the ESA stated.
Viral Videos and Social Media Buzz
Videos of the event shot in various cities and towns across both countries quickly went viral on social media. These clips showed the object streaking across the night sky at high speed, illuminating it with bright blue and green hues.
The Spanish Calar Alto astronomical observatory reported that a preliminary analysis by Andalusia’s Institute of Astrophysics confirmed the object had a “cometary origin”.
Public Reactions and Emergency Reports
In Portugal, during a concert in the city of Barcelos, the comet fragment was filmed streaking across the sky as a singer performed. Another video captured the skies of Porto, Portugal’s second-largest city, lighting up for a few seconds.
The unexpected spectacle prompted many people to contact emergency services. A spokesperson for the Spanish Emergency Service 112 in Madrid told Europa Press news agency that they had received several calls regarding the event.
Lisbon resident Bernardo Taborda, 31, shared his experience with Reuters, saying he was walking around the city with friends when the sky suddenly turned bright green: “It almost looked like daylight … we all looked back and saw it.