English (UK)
During October, the cameras of the SMART Project have recorded several luminous phenomena crossing our skies, including bright fireballs of cometary origin and a striking meteor which, despite not being bright enough to qualify as a fireball, has produced some particularly beautiful images.
These events were observed from several stations distributed across Spain, including Calar Alto Observatory (Almería), whose sky-monitoring systems make it possible to study their trajectories and main characteristics.
Below, we take a look at some of the most remarkable observations recorded this month, together with their images and the results of the available analyses.
October 12: a bright fireball of cometary origin
During the early hours of October 12, at 01:59:39 UT, the SMART Project's detection systems recorded a bright fireball of cometary origin entering the Earth's atmosphere at an approximate speed of 83,000 kilometres per hour.
The phenomenon first became visible at an altitude of approximately 86 kilometres and continued its luminous trajectory until reaching about 40 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
The event was recorded by the SMART Project stations located at Calar Alto (Almería), Huelva, La Hita (Toledo), Sierra Nevada, La Sagra (Granada), Seville, Otura (Granada), and Mazagón (Huelva).
Fireball of cometary origin recorded during the early hours of October 12, 2026.
Preliminary analysis · October 12
Professor José María Madiedo (IAA-CSIC)
Fireball · 01:59:39 UT
- Event type: Cometary
- Initial velocity: 83,000 km/h
- Initial altitude: 86 km
- Final altitude: 40 km
Event video · October 12
Calar Alto Observatory (Almería)
October 14: a fireball linked to comet 2P/Encke
The recorded activity continued on October 14, at 00:39:57 UT, with another fireball of cometary origin. Preliminary analysis indicates that the object was associated with the periodic comet 2P/Encke.
The meteor reached an initial speed of 108,000 kilometres per hour. Its luminous trajectory began at an altitude of approximately 99 kilometres and ended at about 67 kilometres.
The event was detected by the SMART Project stations at Calar Alto (Almería), Huelva, La Hita (Toledo), Sierra Nevada, La Sagra (Granada), Seville, Otura (Granada), and Mazagón (Huelva).
Fireball of cometary origin recorded on October 14, 2026.
Preliminary analysis · October 14
Professor José María Madiedo (IAA-CSIC)
Fireball · 00:39:57 UT
- Event type: Cometary (comet 2P/Encke)
- Initial velocity: 108,000 km/h
- Initial altitude: 99 km
- Final altitude: 67 km
Event video · October 14
Calar Alto Observatory (Almería)
October 16: a spectacular meteor that did not qualify as a fireball
On October 16, the sky-monitoring systems recorded another luminous phenomenon, particularly remarkable for the beauty of the images obtained.
Although the event displayed a very striking appearance, its brightness did not reach the threshold required to be classified as a fireball. It is therefore a meteor that nevertheless deserves a place in this collection due to the visual appeal of its recording.
Observations of this kind remind us that meteors do not need to reach extraordinary brightness levels to provide us with fascinating images of the night sky.
Meteor recorded on October 16, 2026. Although it did not qualify as a fireball, the images obtained show a particularly striking phenomenon.
Event record · October 16
- Phenomenon type: Meteor
- Date: October 16, 2026
- Classification: Did not reach the brightness threshold required to be classified as a fireball
Meteor video · October 16
Meteors and fireballs: what is the difference?
When a small fragment of matter from space enters the Earth's atmosphere and produces a luminous streak, we observe what is known as a meteor. If the phenomenon reaches a particularly high level of brightness, it is called a fireball, or bolide.
Besides their brightness, these phenomena can also be distinguished by their origin. Some come from small fragments associated with asteroids, while others are linked to particles released by comets.
Among the October observations, the event associated with comet 2P/Encke stands out. Fragments from this comet are linked to the Taurid meteoroid complex, which produces a meteor shower active during autumn.
Both the brightest fireballs and the less luminous meteors provide valuable observations for studying small bodies in the Solar System and their interaction with the Earth's atmosphere.
The Calar Alto fireball detection station (CAHA) , together with the station operated by the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC) in Sierra Nevada and other stations distributed across Spain, are part of the S.M.A.R.T project, led by researcher José María Madiedo.
The Calar Alto and Sierra Nevada stations operate under a collaboration agreement between Professor Madiedo and both institutions.