On Tuesday night, a meteorite fell and illuminated the city of Bariloche, surprising residents and tourists since the event had not been announced beforehand. The fall of a rock detached from the solar system lit up the entire city, leaving everyone stunned by the unexpected phenomenon.
Daniel Chiesa, from the astrotourism venture Astropatagonia, explained that the fireballs observed are rocks from the solar system that cross the path of the Earth's orbit and enter the atmosphere at high speeds. These rocks incinerate upon touching the air molecules, generating striking luminous effects in the sky.
"I was coming back from my astronomical observatory, where I conduct astrotourism, and the experience was incredible, especially for the people who were with me in the car," Chiesa shared about experiencing the event. Although an explosion was reported, Chiesa explained that meteorites generally do not reach the surface, as they usually disintegrate at about 100 kilometers in altitude.
The expert mentioned that these events are uncommon and cannot be predicted in advance, so the fall of the meteorite was a surprise for everyone. Despite the reported increase in smoke due to the fires in the Nahuel Huapi National Park since Tuesday night, the fall of the meteorite could be seen without issues.
The phenomenon was also observed in Chilean cities such as Futrono, Los Lagos, Lanco, Río Bueno, and Valdivia, demonstrating its impact across a wide region.
