Fireball on March 20th 2016

Last March 20th 2016, SMART Project detectors registered a fireball about 23:36 Spanish local time (22:36 UT). The object could be recorded from the fireball detection stations located at Calar Alto, Huelva and Sevilla observatories.

Following the analysis carried out by Professor José María Madiedo (University of Huelva), the SMART Project PI, the event took place as consequence of the impact against the atmosphere of the Earth of a meteoroid detached from a comet, at a speed of about 50.000 km/h. The fireball started at an altitude of about 90 km above the ground and flew over Granada province (South of Spain), moving northeastward. The luminous phenomenon finished at about 36 km above the ground.

The flashes that can be seen under the fireball are the emission spectrum of the object.

Below is the video recorded by Calar Alto Observatory fireball detection station west camera.

Calar Alto (CAHA) fireball detection station, together with the one at the Observatory of Sierra Nevada (IAA-CSIC) and others placed at different locations in Spain, are part of the S.M.A.R.T. project led by Professor José María Madiedo (University of Huelva) to track that kind of objects. Specifically, Calar Alto (CAHA) station and the one at Sierra Nevada (IAA-CSIC) constitute a collaboration agreement between Professor Madiedo and both institutions.