Spectacular Fireball Streaks Across Morocco and Spain, Visible for 650 Kilometers

24 January 2022 – byPrince · 1 min read

A fireball was spotted in the Moroccan sky on the night of January 20. Due to its high brightness, it could be seen from more than 650 kilometers away.

The fireball started its course 112 kilometers above the Atlantic Ocean, flew over Andalusia and Spain, before ending its journey at 78 kilometers altitude, at a point located 134 kilometers from Rabat, reports Diario Sur.

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According to José María Madiedo, the principal researcher of the SMART project, the "meteorite" entered the Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of about 180,000 kilometers and covered a total distance of about 59 kilometers. "The sudden friction with the atmosphere at this huge speed caused the incandescence of the rock, thus generating a fireball..." explains the expert.

The fireball was recorded by the SMART project detectors from the detection stations located in Calar Alto, Sierra Nevada, Seville, La Sagra (Granada), Huelva, El Aljarafe and La Hita (Toledo).