Bright light over Taitung was likely a fireball meteor: Experts

Taipei, May 10 (CNA) A bright light that lit up the sky over the Pacific Ocean off Taitung County on Friday night was most likely a fireball, experts said Saturday.

Many residents throughout the southeastern county reported seeing the bright light at around 11:47 p.m. Friday, indicating that it was visible from Nantian Village in the south of the county to Changbin Township in the north, a distance of over 170 kilometers.

The appearance of the light in the night sky was recorded by coastal surveillance cameras operated by the Taitung County government and the East Coast National Scenic Area Administration.

According to the county government, after the light appeared in the sky, many residents began calling its offices to ask about the cause of the phenomenon.

Pu Min-cheng (卜敏正), head of Taitung's Transportation and Tourism Development Department, said experts have concluded that it was most likely a fireball meteor.

This is a natural phenomenon that occurs when a meteor enters the atmosphere at high speed, causing it to burn up due to friction, which results in brightly colored lights, the experts said.

In June and July 2021, fireball meteors were also seen over the Pacific Ocean off Taitung, according to reports.