Regional News
Eerie Green Glow in Night Sky Mystifies Residents in Thailand
Netizens on Social media in Thailand have shared photos an eerie green glow spotted in the night sky over Ranong province. The pictures of the eerie green glow were snapped by residents living in Muang Ranong district.
Netizens were quick to offer up various theories for what caused the eerie green glow that consequently appeared on Halloween. Some put it down to a natural phenomenon – akin to the northern lights (aurora borealis) caused by disturbances in the Earth’s magnetic field.
However, Dr Matipon Tangmatitham of the National Astronomical Research Institute in Thailand said the source was likely the powerful green bulbs from squid boats, reflecting off the clouds.
In the August 2014, a video taken from the International Space Station (ISS) showed a green glow over Thailand caused by the fishing industry.
In the Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea is a fishing vessel, casting a bright green light on the boat to attract plankton and fish in the area. Both are the meal of choice for commercially important squid. As the bait trails the light up to the surface, the squid take the bait and follow them right into the nets of waiting fishermen.
Green Lights Seen from Space Station
In 2014 the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT) indicated that the bright green light seen in the sky in many parts of the country was most likely a meteor entering the earth’s atmosphere.
The director of NARIT, Associate Professor Boonraksa Soonthorntham, explained that pictures and video images suggest that there is a high probability that the meteor was a “fireball.” They occur when a meteor enters the earth’s atmosphere at a very high speed.
Fireballs occur when friction with the atmosphere causes so much heat on the meteor that it lights up. When seen from the earth in can appear to have a long tail of green or white smoke. The brightness of the fireball’s blaze depends largely on its mass.
The object gave off a green light, suggesting that a chromium element was likely present inside, which is typical in iron meteors. Since the fireball was visible in many regions of the country, it also indicates that the meteor was located very high up in the sky.
Assoc. Prof. Boonraksa indicates that there are many objects that can create this kind of phenomenon. First is a planetoid that normally comes close to the earth, second are retired old satellite parts that have been left in orbit, objects which can also be pulled from earth’s gravity into the earth’s atmosphere.
