PhilSA: Bright streak over Mayon Volcano caused by meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere

• Photo courtesy of PHILVOLCS

The bright streak of light seen over Mayon Volcano on May 25, was caused by a meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere, the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) said.

In an advisory released on Monday, May 26, PhilSA said the event was captured by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Ligñon Hill camera at around 10:33 p.m.

According to PhilSA, the bright flash was produced as the meteor, or space rock, entered the atmosphere at high speed. The agency explained that meteors commonly burn up at altitudes of around 60 to 100 kilometers above sea level because of intense heat generated by friction.

“This heat also ionizes the air molecules around them, creating the bright, glowing streak we see as ‘shooting stars,’” PhilSA said in its advisory.

PhilSA said most meteors burn up completely before reaching the ground. Fragments that survive atmospheric entry and land on Earth are classified as meteorites.

The agency noted that the May 25 event appeared visually striking because Mayon Volcano was seen in the foreground of the PHIVOLCS video capture.

PhilSA also said tracking meteor trajectories is not straightforward. Globally, scientists detect and track meteors using radar and optical camera networks, supported by data analysis and computational modeling.

The advisory clarified that meteors enter Earth’s atmosphere daily, although most are not seen as clearly or as dramatically as the one captured over Mayon Volcano.