<p>A prelimnary examination by scientists has revealed that the 'fireball', which streaked across the Kerala sky triggering panic in several disitricts a day ago, could be a meteor.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Officials of the State Disaster Management Authority, who collected samples from a plot in Karimalloor village in Ernakulam district where the object was believed to have fallen, said preliminary assessment pointed to the possibility of it being a meteor.<br /><br />"Our primary assessments point to the possibility of a meteor. The objects we collected from the spot have high specific gravity. Though they are small in size, it has more than normal weight," Sekhar Kuriakose, a scientist from the authority, told PTI.<br /><br />He said the objects which had 'brilliant streaks' due to iron-nickle presence, had the peculiarity of a meteor.<br /><br />"It is just a primary assessment and we cannot arrive at a concrete conclusion with this. We will hand over the collected samples to Geological Survey of India for further examination. We can arrive at a conclusion only after detailed examination," the official added.<br /><br />A huge 'fireball' was noticed streaking across the sky on Friday night in parts of Thrissur, Ernakulam, Palakaad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala.<br /><br />An area of Karimalloor village, where the 'fireball' was suspected to have plunged, was found charred.<br /><br />There were speculations that the 'fireball' could be celestial debris or a rocket or satellite debris.</p>
<p>A prelimnary examination by scientists has revealed that the 'fireball', which streaked across the Kerala sky triggering panic in several disitricts a day ago, could be a meteor.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Officials of the State Disaster Management Authority, who collected samples from a plot in Karimalloor village in Ernakulam district where the object was believed to have fallen, said preliminary assessment pointed to the possibility of it being a meteor.<br /><br />"Our primary assessments point to the possibility of a meteor. The objects we collected from the spot have high specific gravity. Though they are small in size, it has more than normal weight," Sekhar Kuriakose, a scientist from the authority, told PTI.<br /><br />He said the objects which had 'brilliant streaks' due to iron-nickle presence, had the peculiarity of a meteor.<br /><br />"It is just a primary assessment and we cannot arrive at a concrete conclusion with this. We will hand over the collected samples to Geological Survey of India for further examination. We can arrive at a conclusion only after detailed examination," the official added.<br /><br />A huge 'fireball' was noticed streaking across the sky on Friday night in parts of Thrissur, Ernakulam, Palakaad, Kozhikode and Malappuram districts of Kerala.<br /><br />An area of Karimalloor village, where the 'fireball' was suspected to have plunged, was found charred.<br /><br />There were speculations that the 'fireball' could be celestial debris or a rocket or satellite debris.</p>