What was that flash of light over Spokane Thursday night? A meteor or space debris, experts say - The Spokesman-Review

A bright flash of light caught on many Spokane security cameras Thursday night was likely a small meteor or fireball, area astronomers say.

David Syphers, an astronomy professor at Eastern Washington University, said Thursday night’s meteor was not something area astronomers could predict because it was likely never a part of a comet.

He said Thursday’s meteor was likely a piece of space debris or a rock and was likely so small it couldn’t be seen before entering Earth’s atmosphere.

John Benham, an instructor of astrophysics at Gonzaga University and of astronomy at Spokane Community College, said he believes the meteor was a small chunk of asteroid that may have been part of an asteroid belt.

He said a very bright flash means the meteor mostly broke up, but a trail afterword means a small piece could have made landfall, though it would take multiple sightings and an expert to triangulate where it could have fallen.