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WATCH: St. Patrick’s Day fireball lights up sky over Europe

Click to play video: 'Massive meteor caught on camera exploding over UK'
Massive meteor caught on camera exploding over UK
A bright meteor was caught on camera exploding over parts of Europe on St. Patrick's Day – Mar 17, 2016

People across the United Kingdom were shocked when a bright fireball soared across the sky in the early morning hours of St. Patrick’s Day.

The American Meteor Society received more than 45 reports of a large meteor as it broke up in the sky over the U.K. and parts of western Europe.

One observer reported, “First the whole sky lit up like lightening [sic], but then a big white streak with a round ball at its head came across the sky and it ended in a bigger flash. I don’t know if it crashed but I think it did.”

READ MORE: Astro Corner—What’s up in the March sky

Others reported it being so bright that it woke them up and caused their dogs to start barking.

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While Earth is not in the midst of a major meteor shower, we are continually plowing through debris in space, which in turn can produce meteors. If the debris is large enough, it can cause extremely bright meteors called fireballs or bolides.

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