Dash cam has captured the incredible moment a meteor shower lit up the skies before crashing to the ground.
Millions of Aussies were treated to a spectacular light show on Monday night that could be seen from as far as Bundaberg in central Queensland right down to Grafton in the NSW northern rivers region and inland as far as Inverell and Moree.
It was part of the Lyrid meteor shower, an annual celestial event that usually occurs every April. It’s also one of Earth’s oldest known meteor showers.
Dash cam from southern Queensland showed a blue-green meteor shower streaking across the dark sky before plummeting below suburban homes seconds later.
Stanthorpe residents in the Southern Downs region reported that their homes shook from the impact and claimed it sounded like an explosion.
‘It shook the whole house and set the dogs off,’ one local wrote online.
Another added: ‘It scared the crap out of the majority of us.’
A third wrote: ‘It was definitely a bright flash of light to the south/south-east of Warwick.’
Dash cam showed a meteor shower streaking across the dark sky before plummeting below suburban homes seconds later
Closer to the coast, the stunning meteor shower was captured on a Brisbane weather live cam shortly before 7.30pm.
Many stargazers took to the social media to describe the meteor as a ‘green and blue flash’.
‘It was so bright up here in Bundaberg. I was quite shocked. It was so fast and the colour was amazing!’ one wrote.
Another added ‘ A mate just turned up saying it was the fastest, brightest, and greenest thing he had ever seen …. he was heading northwest from Lismore.’
Up to 10 to 18 meteors each hour light up the sky during the shower’s peak, according to NASA.
Although best seen in the northern nemisphere, the Lyrid meteor shower can be viewed with a naked eye particularly in Australia’s northern states if the night sky is clear with no light pollution.
The Lyrids have been observed and reported since 687 BC – and no other modern shower has been recorded as far back in time.
Stargazers who missed Monday night’s cosmic phenomenon should get another chance on Tuesday night.
The stunning light show was also captured on a weather live cam in Brisbane
