Meteor showers seen in the night sky

Meteor showers have been sighted in a number of areas in the country.

The Arthur C. Clarke Centre said that Geminid meteor showers are visible these days. Meteors were visible in many areas of the country yesterday. A number of bright objects were reported to have fallen simultaneously on the historic Dimbulagala rock in Polonnaruwa. Ven. Maduruoya Vijutha Thera said that the brightly lit meteors fell on the rock. He said that on the rock surface there were small pieces that were hard and heavy like iron. Those were directed to the Arthur C. Clarke Centre for further experiments.
Meanwhile a Jack tree had suddenly caught fire at Kahamallagoda in Kanumuldeniya, Walasmulla south. The eye witnesses said that the fire started on top of the tree. The local residents believed that the fire may have been caused by a meteorite.
Scientist Prof. Chandana Jayaratne said that the objects fallen in the night have been confirmed to be meteors.
He said that that this debris is destroyed on impact with the atmosphere due to the high speed at which they arrive. He said although the meteorites are normally small, some that have fallen this year are big in size. He said that the Jack tree caught fire due to a meteor that moved horizontally. There were some small pieces as well.
Our representatives said that gloomy weather was experienced in areas where the meteorites fell. Expressing his views Prof. Chandana Jayaratne said that there is dust in the meteorites that can be deposited on the clouds. He said that experiments will be conducted to look for such waste in the water.