Rare Meteorite sighting over Western Cape
The South African National Space Agency says all indications are that a meteor had entered the Earth's atmosphere above the Western Cape last night.
In a statement today, SANSA says although meteor sightings are quite common - it was a rare event for the Western Cape.
The Agency says photographs of the celestial event suggest that the meteor broke up into at least two pieces high up in the atmosphere and in all probability burnt up in the atmosphere as no impact was confirmed at this stage.
SANSA says the meteor is estimated to be between one and two-metres in diameter which makes it extremely difficult to detect by telescope warning systems.
Seems like a meteorite? Unconfirmed. Sightings in Hermanus, Cape Town, Brackenfell and Stellenbosch. Loud bang that shook windows. pic.twitter.com/1HBQ5dpZ2c
— Weather Today Africa (@weathertodaysa) January 16, 2019
The NSRI says it was inundated with calls from people across the Cape Town regarding the sighting shortly after 8pm.
"NSRI received a report last night for a flare sighting from multiple locations. Sources reporting seeing a flare all the way from Hermanus, Bettys Bay, Gordon's Bay, The False Bay coastline, Cape Point and the Atlantic Seaboard. The report came in just after 8.15pm. We suspect that this was a shooting star and no action was taken," spokesperson, Craig Lambinon said.
ALSO READ: Clear skies expected for rare blood moon sighting
Last night SAAO post doctoral researcher Nicolas Erasmus managed to observe the close approaching near-Earth asteroid 2019 AG7.
— SAAO (@SAAO) January 14, 2019
Discovered: 2019-01-09 by Catalina Sky Survey
Close Approach Date and Distance: 15 Jan 2019 at 22:43 UT, 3.92 lunar distances
Size estimate: 20-50m pic.twitter.com/oVOob2hQPJ