Not only earthquakes happen in Granada, but also a bright fireball crossing its skies

During these days, Granada (South Spain) is suffering a big series of earthquakes, which are causing the alarm of the inhabitants.

However, earthquakes aren't the only natural event happening on that province. A nicer event took place last night on Granada’s skies. At 00h19 UT of January 29th, a bright and fast fireball crossed the north part of this province.

SMART Project's detectors operated at Calar Alto (Almería), Sierran Nevada (Granada), La Sagra (Granada), La Hita (Toledo) and Seville observatories, registered this event.

This fireball could also be recorded with the north surveillance camera operated at Calar Alto Observatory in Almería.

Following the preliminary analysis carried out by Professor José María Madiedo (Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía IAA-CSIC), and SMART project's PI, this event was caused by a rock detached from an asteriod which impacted against our atmosphere at an estimated speed of 83.000 km/h.

The luminous part of the phenomena started at an altitude of 98 km above the northeast part of Granada province. Then the object moved northwestward finishing at an altitude of 34 km above the ground.

The above image shows the path this fireball followed above the province of Granada.

Below is the video registered with the external surveillance camera operated at Calar Alto Observatory in Almería (South Spain).

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 (IAA) to track that kind of objects. Specifically, Calar Alto (CAHA) station and the one at Sierra Nevada (IAA-CSIC) constitute a collaboration agreement between the IAA researcher José María Madiedo and both institutions.