Mystery light flashes through Winnipeg sky
Flash may have come from Manitoba Hydro station, or it could have been lightning
CBC News
Posted: Jan 16, 2013 12:36 PM CST
Last Updated: Jan 16, 2013 7:31 PM CST
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A sudden flash of light that appeared in the night sky in Winnipeg on Tuesday remains a mystery, but it might not have been an otherworldly phenomenon as previously thought.
Many Winnipeggers reported seeing the whitish-green flash in the sky at around 10 p.m. CT Tuesday. It disappeared as suddenly as it appeared.
On Wednesday morning, astronomer Scott Young of the Manitoba Museum told CBC News it was possible the light came from a meteorite.
"They slow down so quickly and they heat up so quickly that often they just explode in what's called a terminal burst and that's often a greenish colour," he explained.
"So the colour sort of tips me off and also just the speed that this comes over."
But later in the day, Manitoba Hydro said its Scotland sub-station on Grant Avenue had experienced an electrical arc at around the same time, possibly causing the flash.
What caused the flash of light is still not confirmed at this time. Some are suggesting it could be winter lightning.
If it was a meteorite, it would be the 14th time in Manitoba's history that one has come through the atmosphere in this province, Young said.
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