Hundreds in Netherlands and Germany see 'exploding fireball' in sky

Washington, October 19 (ANI): Reports indicate that hundreds of people in the Netherlands and Germany have reported seeing a huge exploding fireball in the sky on October 13.

According to a report in National Geographic News, amateur photographer Robert Mikaelyan captured the phenomenon on camera.

Mikaelyan managed to capture several shots of the fireball as it swung low over the northern city of Groningen, Netherlands, and began to break apart into smaller chunks.

"I suddenly saw a light in the sky coming fast and quickly got the pictures taken," Mikaelyan said.

A few seconds after the fireball had been sighted, witnesses heard a sonic boom followed by low rumbles that rattled windows-signatures of a high-altitude explosion.

The object was most likely a rogue space rock that disintegrated shortly after hitting Earth's atmosphere, according to experts, who speculate that pieces of the meteor may have landed in the North Sea.

"Indeed it was a huge event," said Theo Jurriens, of the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute at the University of Groningen.

Earth is constantly being bombarded by smaller debris from comets, asteroids, and even other rocky planets in the solar system.

But a fireball of this size and brightness is likely seen anywhere in the world only every 20 to 25 years, according to Jurriens. (ANI)