‘A meteor or bolide likely hit the Eastern Cape’ – Expert [VIDEO]

The Science engagement officer at the South African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO) said the object that thundered through Eastern Cape skies on Sunday morning was most likely a meteor or bolide.

Several people in St Francis Bay and other areas took to social media to share their experiences of what was believed to have been a meteorite, saying they heard a loud bang and that their houses shook after the explosion when it broke up in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Watch the meteor or bolide thunder through the sky

Bolide

Daniel Cunnama told The Citizen people who witnessed the object in the atmosphere should share their experiences.

“We’ve been able to determine that no tracked space debris is responsible so it is most likely a meteor/bolide. If you could encourage your readers to send in any video footage they may have it may assist in being able to calculate if and where it may have landed.”

ALSO READ: Suspected meteorite explosion rocks St Francis area in Eastern Cape [VIDEO]

What is a meteorite or bolide?

A meteorite is a solid piece of debris from an object, such as a comet, asteroid, or meteoroid, that originates in outer space and survives its passage through the atmosphere to reach the surface of a planet or moon.

When the object enters the atmosphere, various factors like friction, pressure, and chemical interactions with the atmospheric gases cause it to heat up and radiate that energy.

It then becomes a meteor and forms a fireball, also known as a shooting star or falling star. Astronomers call the brightest examples “bolides”.

Meanwhile, two astronauts stranded on the International Space Station (ISS) will have to wait until next year to return to Earth and their families.

Astronauts stranded

Astronauts Barry “Butch” Wilmore and Sunita Williams have been unable to get home because of a problem with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft originally meant to transport them.

National Aeronautics and Space and Administration (NASA) administrator Bill Nelson told reporters on Saturday it would bring the two astronauts stranded on the ISS back to earth on a SpaceX Crew-9 Dragon spacecraft.

Wilmore and Williams took off on what was planned to be an eight-day mission on 5 June but will now spend about eight months in orbit.

The Starliner experienced problems on its way to the ISS, including leaks of helium, which pushed fuel into the propulsion system. Several thrusters also did not work properly.

ALSO READ: Astronauts stranded on ISS will only return to Earth in February 2025