The National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) said the phenomenon of greenish-blue light combined, sometimes with an exploding sound in the sky in some northern provinces, was likely a bolide, an extremely bright meteor exploding in the sky. atmosphere.
The head of the astronomical academic service Narit Suphareuk Karuhanon wrote on the institute’s Facebook page that people from Chiang Mai, Lamphun, Phayao, Mae Hong Son and Lampang have shared photos and videos on social media of the greenish-blue light with an exploding sound.
“The light was seen in the sky at around 6:30 PM and went from west to east with a loud explosive sound,” said Suphareuk. “This fits the characteristics of a bolide, an extremely bright meteor, especially one that explodes in the atmosphere,” he said.
“Normally, a meteor entering the atmosphere will experience extreme heat and catch fire at an altitude of 80-120 kilometres, which is too far for humans to hear,” he explained. “However, in some cases, the meteor can cause a sonic boom, similar to a supersonic aeroplane, which will sound like an explosion to onlookers.”
NARIT also stated that there are no reports of damage caused by the phenomenon.
“It’s not entirely convincing yet that the phenomenon is a bolide, as most falling meteors burn out completely in the atmosphere,” Suphareuk said.
“Some large enough will reach the Earth’s surface, most of which will fall into the ocean, estimated at about 6,000 meteors per year,” he added.
“There is a very small chance that a car will fall to the ground and cause damage, so people should not panic about the phenomenon,” he said reassuringly.
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