25-5-2024 (SINGAPORE) Stargazers and night owls in the city-state were treated to a dazzling celestial display on the evening of May 24th, as a meteor fireball streaked across the eastern skies, leaving onlookers in awe and scrambling to capture the fleeting phenomenon.
The celestial visitor, described as a “bright burning flash,” graced the Singaporean night around 11:47 pm, its luminous trail etching a momentary path across the heavens before fading into the darkness. While the full moon basked the city in its radiant glow, the unexpected fireball stole the spotlight, igniting curiosity and excitement among those fortunate enough to witness its brief appearance.
Among the fortunate few who managed to immortalize the celestial event was Priyanka Vijoy, a local resident who had initially set out to capture the beauty of the full moon from her vantage point near Bedok Reservoir. Little did she know that the universe had grander plans in store.
“I just happened to be fortunate enough to capture the meteor on camera — it took me by surprise!” Vijoy recounted. “At first, I thought it was part of some fireworks celebration, but I realized after a while that it was actually a meteor! Truly grateful.”
Astronomy enthusiast Gerardyn Brittos swiftly identified the phenomenon as a particularly bright meteor, also known as a fireball or a bollide. “It’s not rare, quite common. Just see if you are lucky enough to face the right direction at the right time,” she explained, shedding light on the celestial occurrence.
Meteors, which are essentially rocks that enter the Earth’s atmosphere, often undergo a spectacular transformation. Due to friction, pressure, and chemical reactions with atmospheric gases, these cosmic rocks heat up and radiate energy, resulting in the breathtaking light displays witnessed from the ground.
While fireballs typically do not survive the intense journey through the atmosphere intact, fragments are sometimes recovered on the ground, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
