Spectacular green meteor flashes over erupting Philippine volcano

A rare and spectacular astronomical event coincided with a volcanic eruption on May 25, captivating observers in the Philippines. A bright green meteor streaked across the sky above Mount Mayon, an active volcano on Luzon island, as it spewed lava.

Livestream cameras monitoring the eruption captured the fleeting phenomenon, which lasted just over a second. The dramatic combination of "fire from the sky and fire from the Earth" quickly spread across social media. Initially, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) suggested the object might have hit the volcano's slopes.

However, subsequent analysis of seismic, infrasound, and video data confirmed the meteor disintegrated in the atmosphere. PHIVOLCS clarified there was no impact on the ground. Had the object hit the volcano, the energy released would have been equivalent to a 7,500-ton TNT explosion, causing significant landslides and seismic tremors.

The meteor's striking green glow is scientifically attributed to its composition, likely a high concentration of nickel, which can produce an emerald hue when entering the atmosphere at high speeds. Meteors form when larger space debris enters Earth's atmosphere, heating up and breaking apart at altitudes between 60 and 100 kilometers.

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fire from the sky and fire from the Earth