At 1:14 a.m. (UT) on July 13, 2022, a fireball rivaling the brightness of the full moon tore through the Hungarian sky. Many people saw the phenomenon despite the early time, as its light cast a shadow in the dark night. In addition to the usual meteorological cameras, Bence Gucsik was lucky enough to catch our guest from space with a video camera.
Fireball from Sopron, Hungary (Recording of Bence Gucsik)
It can also be viewed on video here
Another lucky catch from Kaposfő (Hungary) is recorded by Rafael Schmall, who has a meteorological camera system to every direction from his place.
The fireball on Kaposfő – North camera, recorded by Rafael Schmall
I used – UFOAnalyser and UFOOrbit (Sonotaco, 2009) – four meteorological cameras’ pictures to reconstruate the meteor trail. Based on the preliminary measurement, the meteor lit up at an altitude of 104 km – a little beyond the southwestern border of Hungary – above Croatia. The body that hit our atmosphere at an angle of 24 degrees traveled about 173 km at an average speed of 29.4 km/s, which is unfortunately high enough to not throw any meteorite. Its last crumbs were still shining at an altitude of 36 km above Márkó. There were no visible parts which could survive the atmospheric entry.
Based on its trajectory, it came from beyond Mars from the main asteroid belt. It is interesting though that this small piece of stone ventured all the way to Mercury during its closest approach to the Sun.
