Alleged “meteor sighting” over the Philippines, was it a meteor?
[CC: Multiple photos from eyewitnesses in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, Northern Mindanao, Philippines] (Stanley Nuñeza) (Rayden Ivan Delfin)]
On November 4, 2024, at approximately 1:30 AM Philippine Standard Time (PhST), residents across Northern Mindanao and Eastern Visayas reported witnessing a phenomenon resembling a “meteor shower.” Multiple eyewitnesses captured the alleged phenomenon, which was posted on various social media pages by different accounts
Without more information, everyone thought they had just seen a meteor shower. Some even said that the footage was faked, which is not true. People are also questioning whether a meteor caused this phenomenon. What distinguishes artificial space debris from natural objects re-entering the atmosphere? What insights did the experts from the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) offer regarding this event?
A possible explanation for the allegation
When comparing the footage to other events similar to this one, it seems like it shows that the phenomenon could have been caused by defunct space debris from orbit re-entering our atmosphere after a long duration of no operations. To confirm that, the Philippine Space Agency also agrees with that explanation. [They quote]:
The visual appearance of the objects resembles those of previously recorded space debris reentry events, such as those involving defunct rocket stages or satellites.
— Philippine Space Agency (@PhilSpaceAgency) December 4, 2024
PhilSA is actively monitoring the situation to gather more accurate information.
Other theories stated in their post were meteor showers or rocket launch debris (after separating the rocket stage during launch), which both were not likely attributed to the event. The event could have been caused by defunct rocket stages or satellites (which are rocket stages or satellites that entered orbit and stayed for a long time without any operations; thus, defunct), which could have decayed their orbit after a long time and re-entered our atmosphere.
PhilSA is actively monitoring the situation to gather more accurate information. According to their post, it’s more likely that the object was caused by space debris.
Velocity difference between space objects
As we just talked about earlier, two things were assumed to be the causes of the phenomenon. A natural space object or an artificial space object is commonly called space debris in this situation. This is where we compare both things and why one side could be proven stronger than the other to solve the cause of this event finally.
Artificial space objects were launched by our rockets to orbit. According to HowStuffWorks, a website that talks about scientific concepts, these objects average orbital speeds that reach approximately 7,000 mph or 27,359 kph. Calculating that would be approximately 7.8 kilometers per second. If we compare this speed to a meteor, they would be very different. According to Wikipedia, a meteor reaches a speed of approximately 20 kilometers per second. This shows that meteors are 3 times faster than artificial space objects, which further strengthens our claim that this object was not a meteor.
Comparing the video of the recent phenomena and some other videos on meteor showers, it shows that this recent event had a slower re-entry back to our planet than a typical meteor in space. This could further prove that this phenomenon was caused by an artificial space object launched on Earth rather than a natural space object. Below this text is a video comparing the velocity difference of two different phenomena in the Philippines, both caused by various space events 2 months ago.
Now, what's next?
Since we have already explained the possible causes of this rare phenomenon in the country, it's important to remember the do's and don'ts when witnessing these unexpected events unfold.
It's a great idea to capture these phenomena with your mobile phone or camera while also taking a moment to appreciate the view. It's rare to witness such sights, even with the growth of rocket launches due to stricter re-entry procedures. These measures are beneficial for everyone's safety. However, it is important to avoid spreading false information during these events, as it may lead to panic and confusion among people.
Now for the don'ts, it's important to remember that when you see pieces of space debris near your area, do not come in close contact with these materials, as these may pose potential health and safety risks. Rather, the public is advised to immediately inform local authorities if any of the debris is sighted.
This is KYNNMASTER 123 for The Weekly Spaceman, see you in the next one! 😊
Sources and Credits:
Photo and video captured by Rayden Ivan Delfin on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/100019926155195/videos/2399315943754029/
Photo and video captured by Stanley Nuñeza:
HowStuffWorks on Orbital Velocities: https://science.howstuffworks.com/satellite6.htm
Wikipedia on Meteors: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid#:~:text=At%20a%20speed%20typically%20in,62%20mi)%20above%20sea%20level.
