#Meteorite: 'Massive streak of light' has Twitter buzzing

Photo: Twitter / @NathanKrumm

Photo: Twitter / @NathanKrumm

Published Jan 16, 2019

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Cape Town – Twitter was abuzz on Wednesday night with the words "Did anyone else see that massive streak of light".

This was not restricted to Cape Town, but those words – and the after-effects of the streak of light and subsequent explosion – seemed to reverberate all the way to Franschhoek, the Swartland, Overberg, Stellenbosch and Hermanus. 

This was in response to the sight of it flashing across the sky between 8.10pm and 8.30pm, with the duration varying depending on who was quizzed.

It was apparently then followed by the sound of an explosion, which some said sounded like a gas bottle exploding, the citizen.co.za reported, and some even thought it had been a rocket. One person caught evidence of it reflected in his pool on CCTV.

The SA National Space Agency later confirmed that a meteorite had plunged to the ground in the Helderberg region, Netwerk24 reported. A resident in the Overberg region said it had felt like a "mini earthquake".

"A lot of glass shattered in the house... literally the whole house started rattling after what sounded like a large explosion. People said they could hear it many kilometres away."

I heard a loud bang, like a gas bottle exploding, but people saw it..... A flipping meteorite! pic.twitter.com/m4nHeRpLdb

[email protected] (@dave_apter) January 16, 2019

Stephen Deck posted: "I know this doesn’t look like much to the naked eye, but what you are looking at is the smoke trail of a flaming meteorite that just fell less than 20km from us. It broke into two pieces…"

Leigh Gabriels, whose grandmother lives in Hermanus, tweeted that "houses/windows were shaking. Dogs barking. All neighbours out in the street after explosion."

Seems like a meteorite? Unconfirmed. Sightings in Hermanus, Cape Town, Brackenfell and Stellenbosch. Loud bang that shook windows. pic.twitter.com/1HBQ5dpZ2c

— Weather Today Africa (@weathertodaysa) January 16, 2019

Weather Today Africa, responding to @JurgSlabbert's tweet, said: "Seems like a meteorite? Unconfirmed. Sightings in Hermanus, Cape Town, Brackenfell and Stellenbosch. Loud bang that shook windows."

Anyone in the #Hermanus or #Onrus area see or hear an explosion that was possibly a #meteorite at around 20h30? #CapeTown pic.twitter.com/UnKBeK5aXS

— Nathan Krumm (@NathanKrumm) January 16, 2019

Granny lives in Hermanus. Houses / windows were shaking. Dogs barking. All neighbours out in the street after the explosion. #Meteorite😱

— Leigh Gabriels (@Thats_Loveleigh) January 16, 2019

#Hermanus is not boring! Protest action, fire inferno and now a #meteorite! My social media intelligence report tells me it broke in two.

— Päivi Brink 🇫🇮🇿🇦 (@PaiviBrink) January 16, 2019

#Meteorite spotted over #Kleinmond. Loud swish followed by a boom about a minute later. No pic, but it was amazing!

— Adri Baard (@Adri_Baard) January 16, 2019

Did anyone see the incandescent flash of light about 8:15pm over Cape Town? #meteorite #CapeTown

— Hesketh Tolson (@HeskethTolson) January 16, 2019

Trippppppping because I just came from a talk on @SKA_telescope and other science things I don't understand and then this meteorite happens. 😲😲😲😲😲😲

— CAPE FLATS COMMIE (@CarlaKatjie) January 16, 2019

I know this doesn’t look like much to the naked eye, but what you are looking at is the smoke trail of a flaming meteorite that just fell less than 20km from us. It broke into two pieces… https://t.co/h6Dy6mYf68

— Stephen Deck (@deckstephen) January 16, 2019

Who else just saw that? 20:12 #capetown- Shooting #star? #meteorshower? #plane? Over century city in Durbanville direction @LifeisSavage?

— Jacqui Richards (@JacquiRich) January 16, 2019

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