The Sulawesi Fireball
One morning in Indonesia, a huge explosion in the sky shook the town of Bone. People thought a plane had crashed.
What was reported
At about 11 am on 8 October 2009, people around Watampone in South Sulawesi heard a tremendous bang and saw a fireball and a trail of smoke in the sky. Some called the police to report a plane crash or an earthquake.
Videos of the smoke trail were shared widely. No one was hurt.
Explanations offered
Scientists identified it as a small asteroid, about 6 to 10 metres across, that exploded in the atmosphere 15 to 20 km up, releasing energy equal to several times the Hiroshima bomb. Sensors built to detect nuclear tests picked up the blast more than 10,000 km away.
- When
- 8 October 2009
- Where
- Watampone, Bone, South Sulawesi, Indonesia
- Witnesses
- Residents of Bone; sensors worldwide
- Status
- Confirmed
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.