Observers in the Russian city of Murmansk saw a late-night fireball streak across the sky Saturday night.
Russia Today reported that citizens in the northern city witnessed a “suspected meteor” explode at 2:10 AM.
Officials said the nature of the flash is not yet known, according to a Russian report.
NBC News science writer Alan Boyle points to a report from Russian news agency Itar-Tass in which a Russian astronomer says the bright glow was an early fireball from the annual Lyrid meteor shower, which peaks on the night of April 21.
The blast brings back memories of the meteor that exploded over the Russian city of Chelyabinsk last February, injuring hundreds of people hit by flying pieces of glass from broken windows.
Agencies/Canadajournal