New Year’s Eve fireworks have nothing on what the universe can throw our way. In Spain, many people got a cosmic fireworks show thanks to a re-entering meteor.
The images were captured by Erbo Observatory, showing an event just a few seconds long. Astronomer Phil Plait writes that the image actually involves an object high up, near the boundary between the upper atmosphere and near-Earth space. However, the bit of space rock burned bright enough to light up the sky through the clouds and appear much closer. He also conjectures that it was a small rock, possibly a meter in length, and the separate flashes of light were the object breaking up.
Image: Erbo Observatory