(File Photo/paNOW Staff)

By Jaryn Vecchio

Cool Sighting

Potential meteorite falls around P.A.

Mar 23, 2022 | 1:18 PM

What’s that in the sky? Is it a bird, is it a plane? No, it’s a meteor!

Lucky Prince Albert residents who were outside Tuesday night got to see a bolide light up the night sky.

A bolide is a big meteor that produces a bright flash when it hits the earth’s atmosphere.

“Essentially it’s like having a campfire with one piece of wood or 20 pieces of wood,” said Tim Yaworski with the Royal Astronomy Society of Canada – Saskatoon chapter.

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Bolide sightings are becoming more common with one being caught on video above P.A. over a year ago.

On average, two to three are seen every year.

Yaworski noted they’re more common nowadays because we have more ways of seeing them.

“We got more devices out there that are recording now with things like doorbell cameras, dashcams.”

Meanwhile, Yaworski believes this bolide may be extra special.

After viewing the video, he said there’s a chance it may be a meteorite which is part of the meteor or bolide that survives the atmosphere and lands on earth.

“That one could be one that turned into a meteorite, but the problem is finding it. In the prairies, the chances are it will be in somebody’s field.”

There is a group in the United States that can help pinpoint a possible landing spot.

People who have a video of the bolide can send it to them, along with details about when they saw it and what direction it was going in so the group can study it.

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Jaryn.Vecchio@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow