Light beams over Türkiye attributed to meteor, space debris

ISTANBUL

Various regions across the country, including the capital Ankara and Istanbul, have witnessed beams of light thought initially to be meteors, but experts argue they are actually space debris.

Over the weekend, many cities in Türkiye observed a luminous cluster of light descending from the sky before disappearing. Many astonished onlookers captured these moments on their phones.

In a written statement, the Turkish Space Agency stated that the light beams were meteors.

"Tonight, the meteor observed in various parts of our country caused excitement. The colors formed during the entry of meteors into the atmosphere vary depending on several factors, including the meteor's chemical composition, speed and the gases present in the Earth's atmosphere," the agency explained.

On the other hand, some experts maintain that the probability of the light cluster being a meteor is low.

Associate Professor Mesut Yılmaz, the director of the Ankara University Kreiken Observatory, argued that the luminous object seen in the sky, due to its speed, resembles space debris rather than a meteor.

"Upon initial observation, the images do not resemble a meteor. The speed of the object entering the atmosphere appears relatively low. Meteors typically enter the atmosphere at much higher speeds, ranging from a minimum of 40,000 kilometers per hour to as much as 260,000 kilometers per hour. The object in the images appears to be moving much slower. There is a possibility it is a piece of space debris,” he explained.

Yılmaz highlighted the presence of thousands of satellites in space, stating, "The object observed in the sky could be a fragment from these satellites, a space station, or even rockets."

"If it were a meteor, its impact would undoubtedly be felt. A significant crater, an explosion, a forest fire if it fell in a wooded area, or a minor tsunami if it fell into the sea would be inevitable. The impact of such an explosion would be unmistakable," he added.