Meteorite fragments hit residential buildings in Germany
Photo: meteorite fragments hit residential buildings in Germany (Getty Images)
An unusual light phenomenon observed in the sky over Germany later turned out to be a meteorite fall. Fragments struck residential buildings, causing damage, according to Blue News and Tagesspiegel.
Read also: Can meteorite destroy Earth? 5 giant celestial bodies that crashed into our planet
According to media reports, on the evening of March 8, police received information about damage in the city of Koblenz and in the Hunsrück and Eifel mountain ranges in the federal state of Rhineland-Palatinate.
The police operations headquarters stated that around 7:00 p.m., a burnt celestial body fell onto the roof of a residential building in the Koblenz-Güls district, located in Rhineland-Palatinate.
The meteorite pierced a hole the size of a football. The fragment first struck the roof and then hit a bedroom. No one was inside the room, so there were no injuries.
Meteorite fragments the size of stones damaged the roofs of other houses.
Eyewitnesses across Lower Saxony, Hesse, Rhineland-Palatinate, Saarland, Baden-Württemberg, and North Rhine-Westphalia shared photos and videos on social media of a bright light in the sky.
Authorities also reported that people saw a bright luminous object with a brief fiery glow.
Initially, various theories were considered, including a rocket flyby, but police assured that there were no signs of any danger.
What a meteorite is
A meteorite is a naturally occurring space object that falls to the surface of Earth or another large celestial body from interplanetary space. Most meteorites are fragments of asteroids, comets, or other cosmic bodies formed in the early stages of the Solar System.
As the object travels through Earth’s atmosphere, it heats up due to friction with the air, creating a bright trail known as a meteor or "shooting star."
If the space object does not completely burn up in the atmosphere and reaches the planet’s surface, its remains are called a meteorite. Studying these rocky or metallic fragments helps scientists learn more about the composition and formation history of the cosmos.
Other incidents
Last year, on the evening of March 12, a meteor reportedly passed over and exploded above Kyiv. Many residents heard a loud sound similar to an explosion shortly before the air raid alert was announced. It was later confirmed to be a bright fireball.
Earlier, a meteorite fall was recorded in southern Turkey on Saturday, September 2, around 8:15 p.m.
