Caught on camera: Meteor lights up Chile sky

Santiago: A meteor has been caught on camera streaking through the night sky over Chile's capital Santiago. Scholars from Concepcion University confirmed that the phenomenon, which was recorded on July 7, was a small body of rock which burned up upon entering the Earth's atmosphere, the BBC reported.

The meteor crossed the sky and opened a huge flashlight in the city of Santiago. Citing authorities, local media outlets reported that the meteor disintegrated into several parts before disappearing in the Andes region.

Brazilian media outlet TNH1 reported that the inhabitants of the city heard the sound of the meteor crossing the atmosphere as if it were a burst of thunder. Separately, astronomer Juan Carlos Beamin, from the Chilean Astronomy Foundation, informed that the meteor crossing Santiago is called "T12.cl.".

Beamin explained that a flash lit up because, upon entering the atmosphere even a "stone, or a small rock, due to friction with the air, burns and shines". "We are talking about speeds of 10,000 kilometres per hour," he added.

Meanwhile, a meteor sighting in Chile came on the same day a burning meteor-like fireball flashed across the sky over Wellington, New Zealand. As per Reuters, witnesses reported hearing a loud boom and seeing a flash light as the object passed.

Alan Gilmore, an astronomer at Canterbury University's Mount John Observatory, said that a meteor coming down the atmosphere at a high speed over an urban area was a rare occurrence. He further went on to describe the meteor and said, "This was glowing very brightly so it must have been quite a big object." Mr Gilmore also informed that the boom that people heard indicated that the meteor had come within 60 km of Earth.