Published on Jan 19, 2014
A huge meteor was visible from several parts of the island and its brightness was so intense that lit areas as if it were day, the Astronomical Society of the Caribbean (SAC) reported. The sighting was reported by several people who got up early on Saturday morning as it was recorded at about 5:43 am on Jan. 18. The fireball was reported as "extremely bright" from several towns including San Juan, Arecibo, Ponce and Aguadilla, said the SAC. The organization was able to capture images through cameras that capture the sky from San Juan and the area west of the Island "looked so intense that 'saturated' or highlighted some of our cameras," said Eddie Irizarry, president of the SAC. Irizarry said that in the pictures you can see the huge meteor that left a trail of smoke remained visible for more than 15 seconds until finally dissipated. The SAC said it was a remarkable sporadic meteor caused by a space rock a few feet in diameter. "Usually most disintegrates and although some fragments may reach the surface, the more likely they fall into the sea due to the territorial limitation of our island," said the educational institution. Visit www.SociedadAstronomia.com and Facebook.com / sociedad.astronomia