A mesmerizing green fireball illuminated the skies above Turkey, captivating onlookers and giving rise to a viral video that has taken the internet by storm. The astonishing footage, captured by Onur Kaçmaz in the city of Erzurum, reveals a surreal scene as the vibrant object streaks through the upper atmosphere, casting an otherworldly hue on the clouds below.
According to the American Meteor Society (AMS), fireballs are meteors that shine brighter than Venus, making them potentially visible even during daylight hours. These blazing space rocks owe their intense luminosity to their large sizes and incredible speeds, which generate substantial friction as they collide with Earth’s atmosphere. Additionally, their entry velocities can exceed the speed of sound, leading to thunderous sonic booms accompanying their dazzling displays.
As meteors hurtle through the atmosphere, their outer layers vaporize due to the intense heat, leaving behind their metallic cores to incandesce. The eye-catching green coloration of these fireballs arises from the presence of nickel, as nickel and iron constitute the most common elements in a meteor’s core.
While the spectacle of a fireball crossing the sky can be awe-inspiring, their explosive potential should not be underestimated. In 2013, the city of Chelyabinsk in Russia experienced the most significant meteor event in recent history. The explosion unleashed a blast estimated at 400 to 500 kilotons of TNT, equivalent to 26 to 33 times the energy released by the Hiroshima bomb. The resulting shower of fireballs wreaked havoc on the city and its surroundings, damaging buildings, shattering windows, and causing over 1,200 injuries.
However, this event falls short of the most catastrophic fireball occurrence to date. Archeological evidence suggests that approximately 3,600 years ago, an immensely powerful fireball detonated over the ancient Middle Eastern city of Tall el-Hamman. The blast, approximately a thousand times more potent than the Hiroshima bomb, instantaneously set the city ablaze before obliterating it with a devastating shockwave, claiming the lives of all its inhabitants.
While the beauty and grandeur of fireballs continue to captivate us, it is important to recognize both the potential dangers they pose and the scientific insights they offer. By studying these spectacular phenomena, researchers gain a deeper understanding of our planet’s history and the forces that shape our universe.
