A flying object believed to be a meteorite exploded and lit up the sky before dropping in Songyuan, Jilin province last week, state media reported.
The explosion, caused by the unidentified object, took place at around 12.16am on October 11. The flying object was spotted and filmed by individuals who then shared their sightings online. A taxi driver who witnessed the explosion told Xinhua reporters that the sky lit up like daylight for several seconds when the explosion occurred. The flare from the explosion was also noticed by residents in several other cities including Harbin, Changchun and Shenyang.
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A group of science researchers with the Jilin Museum began searching for the fallen object in Songyuan the next day. The phenomenon was similar to a bolide, a large meteor that explodes in the atmosphere, Sun Zhishen, a director with the Jilin Museum, explained. Other researchers have also conjectured that it was most likely a meteorite, according to the Paper.
As of press time, the whereabouts of the fallen object are still unknown.
Watch the moment when the meteorite-like object exploded in Jilin below (VPN off):
In 1976, Jilin city saw the arrival of several meteorites, the largest of which weighs 1,770 kilograms and is displayed at the Jilin Meteorite Museum.
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[Cover image via Pixabay]
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