The Taurid meteor shower created a large bright streak in the southwestern sky of Norway, meteorology experts reported on November 20.
A fireball streaks across the southwestern sky of Norway. (Video: AFP)
The unusually bright meteor – known as a fireball – appeared around 7 PM local time on November 19, which is 1 AM on November 20 in Hanoi.
“It was very intense and burned completely in the atmosphere,” said Norten Bilet, founder of the Norwegian meteor network Norsk Meteornettverk, to AFP.
As the meteor ignited, it created a brilliant fireball in the night sky, causing considerable confusion among local residents and police.
The meteor ignited, creating a brilliant fireball in the night sky.
“The sky suddenly lit up, so at first I thought a car was shining its headlights, but when I looked up, I saw a large beam of light streaking across with a long blue tail behind it,” said Per Skram, a 27-year-old eyewitness, to the television station NRK.
The police then contacted the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, where experts confirmed it was a “fireball,” a term used for meteors that reach a visual magnitude of -14 or brighter, which is more than twice as bright as a full moon when viewed from Earth.
Norsk Meteornettverk stated that this phenomenon is associated with the Northern Taurid meteor shower occurring from October 20 to December 10. While the Taurids do not produce as many bright streaks as the Leonid meteor shower, which takes place from November 6 to November 30, they occasionally create very strong fireballs.
