“The meteor’s brief but spectacular appearance was the talk of social media on Wednesday morning. The celestial object, which was seen streaking across the sky at approximately 6:30 am, prompted many Alberta residents to check their dashboard and home security cameras.

Gary Boyle, known as “The Backyard Astronomer” and a member of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, explained to Global News that while the Earth is bombarded by tons of meteors daily, most are merely sandy grains that become vaporized due to the Earth’s gravitational pull. However, Boyle suggested that the meteor seen on Wednesday morning seems to have been a large fragment that disintegrated into smaller pieces upon hitting the atmosphere.

“Meteors come in varying shapes and sizes,” Boyle said. “The smaller ones usually vaporize, creating a streak in the sky.”

However, for a meteor to withstand entry into the Earth’s atmosphere, it must be significantly larger, according to Boyle.

“A meteor of the size of a basketball or a small table could potentially survive, with most of it breaking and melting, and the core surviving to land on the ground in multiple fragments,” he said.

Many sightings reported that the meteor appeared green and was seen towards the south. Boyle noted that the color could indicate the meteor’s size.

“The color is due to the ionization of molecules,” Boyle explained. “Similar to how we see green and red auroras, which are oxygen molecules, and blue and purple are nitrogen. Seeing green ones suggests it’s a large one.”

Boyle clarified that the celestial bodies are referred to as meteors when they are in the sky, but if any fragments survive the atmosphere’s entry and are later discovered, they are known as meteorites.

As for the possible landing site of the fragments, Boyle suggested that video footage from dashboard and home security cameras could provide clues.

“I encourage any viewers who captured this event on their dashcam to contact the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in Calgary,” Boyle advised. “If we can triangulate the sightings from multiple sources, we may be able to identify a search area to find evidence.”

The article is meant to educate and engage readers, whether they are potential investors or just curious about the subject.

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