Unexplained Explosions and Illuminations Startle Melbourne Residents

Residents in Melbourne, Australia were startled by a bright flash of light followed by a loud bang, which was captured on CCTV footage. Locals speculated that it was caused by a meteorite, and an astronomer from the Australian National University confirmed that it was likely the breaking apart of a basketball-sized asteroid. The astronomer explained that the energy released during the asteroid's entry into the Earth's atmosphere caused the sonic boom. Fragments of the asteroid would have either burned up or made it to the Earth's surface. While larger asteroids are easier to detect, the smaller ones pose a challenge for scientists.