In a remarkable display of natural phenomena, NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick, currently aboard the International Space Station (ISS), captured a breathtaking video of a meteor entering Earth's atmosphere and exploding in a bright flash over North Africa.
This rare event, classified as a bolide, showcases the unique vantage point of astronauts orbiting Earth and provides a striking example of how space-based observation can reveal extraordinary moments in the planet’s atmosphere. The footage, which has since gone viral, adds to the growing collection of awe-inspiring imagery shared by ISS crew members.
The Meteor Event: Bolide Explodes Above North Africa
The event, which occurred on September 2, 2024, at 20:12 GMT, was captured by Dominick as the ISS passed over Cairo, Egypt. The video shows the meteor rapidly streaking through Earth's atmosphere before it explodes into a brilliant green flash, lighting up the night sky over North Africa. This type of meteor, referred to as a bolide, is an exceptionally bright meteor that can be seen over large areas due to the intensity of its explosion upon entering the atmosphere.
Dominick shared the footage on social media, slowing it down to one frame per second to make the details of the explosion more visible. He explained that while reviewing the timelapse footage of Earth, the bright flash caught his attention, prompting him to consult friends and experts about what he had seen. The consensus was clear: the flash was a bolide, an unusual and highly visible meteor event. The dramatic nature of the explosion, set against the backdrop of lightning storms visible from space, made the footage even more spectacular.
I showed this to a couple of friends yesterday to see what they thought. They both thought it was a meteor exploding in the atmosphere - a rather bright one called a bolide. Timelapse is slowed down to one frame per second for you to see it streaking and then exploding.
If you… pic.twitter.com/tn2KmWgnoE
— Matthew Dominick (@dominickmatthew) September 3, 2024
What Makes Bolides So Extraordinary?
A bolide is a particularly rare type of meteor that explodes violently when it enters Earth’s atmosphere. While most meteors burn up upon entry, a bolide’s brightness and explosive power make it a distinct and spectacular event. According to NASA’s Center for Near-Earth Object Studies (CNEOS), bolides are notable for their visibility across wide regions, with the explosion creating a light show that can be seen from great distances. This particular bolide, captured over North Africa, was bright enough to be recorded from space, providing scientists and space enthusiasts with a rare visual treat.
Bolides are scientifically significant because they offer insights into the composition and behavior of meteors. The energy released by these explosions can vary, and studying these events helps researchers better understand how meteors interact with Earth’s atmosphere. In the case of Dominick’s footage, the bolide’s explosion was so intense that it momentarily outshone other atmospheric phenomena, including lightning storms, which are otherwise a dominant feature of night-time Earth imagery from space.
ISS Perspective: Capturing Natural Phenomena from Orbit
One of the remarkable advantages of the International Space Station is its ability to observe Earth from a vantage point that allows for unique and often stunning views of natural phenomena. From this orbital position, astronauts like Dominick can capture footage of events that are either impossible or extremely difficult to observe from the ground. In this case, the ISS’s orbit over North Africa provided the perfect angle for recording the meteor’s fiery descent.
In addition to the bolide explosion, Dominick’s footage also revealed lightning storms across the African continent. Lightning storms are a common sight from the ISS, and the UK Met Office estimates that Earth experiences about 44 lightning strikes every second, adding up to roughly 1.4 billion strikes per year. While these storms are a regular occurrence, the combination of the lightning and the meteor explosion in Dominick’s footage created a scene that stood out even in the constantly changing view from the ISS.
The Science Behind Bolide Observations
Understanding bolides is crucial for scientists studying meteors and near-Earth objects. Bolides represent some of the most dramatic entries of celestial objects into Earth’s atmosphere. Their explosions can release significant energy, making them objects of interest for both planetary scientists and those concerned with planetary defense. By capturing this bolide from space, Dominick’s footage provides valuable data that can be used to further study how these objects behave when they reach Earth's atmosphere.
The data gathered from bolide events can help scientists predict the frequency and potential impact of future meteors. Observations like Dominick’s also contribute to broader efforts to catalog near-Earth objects, which may one day pose a risk to the planet. While bolides like the one seen over North Africa are not dangerous, larger meteors could cause significant damage if they were to impact populated areas. Hence, studying these events from both space and the ground is essential for advancing meteor science.