- A bright flash was seen in the sky over Finland aswell as Russia’s Kola Peninsular
- The night sky was lit up for up to six seconds as the space rock fell towards Earth
- As well as Russia, the flash was seen as far afield as northern Norway and Finland
This is the incredible moment the night sky was lit up by a fireball from a falling meteor over Finnish Lapland.
Footage shows a bright light in the sky over Inari in Finland – but the flash was so intense it was also seen in Russia’s Kola Peninsula and in northern Norway.
Stargazers reported seeing the sky ‘light up like day’ for a few seconds as the space rock plummeted towards Earth on November 16.
Footage captures the moment the night sky was lit up in a stunning blaze over Finland caused by a fireball from a falling meteor
A bright flash in the sky over Inari in Finland as well as in Russia’s Kola Peninsula and in northern Norway
Stargazers reported seeing the sky ‘light up like day’ as the space rock plummeted towards Earth on November 16
If it crashed to the ground – rather than disintegrate in the air – Russian experts believe it did so outside their territory.
Eyewitness Atle Staalesen saw the flash of light just north of Inari in Finland on Thursday evening, according to the Barents Observer.
He said: ‘The lights came from all around us, like a massive explosion that lasted for some five, six seconds.
If it crashed to the ground – rather than disintegrate in the air – Russian experts believe it did so outside their territory
Morten Bilet from the Norwegian Meteor Network said he suspected the sighting was the result of a meteorite.
He told VG: ‘There’s no doubt it is a large stone – a meteorite heading towards the mountain.
‘They shine so brightly that they are called fireballs, and it explodes several times on its way down.’