A LOCAL café manager was left stunned following a close encounter with a “whitish blue” meteor that streaked across the sky and over his head on the outskirts of the city.
Eryk Miskiwcz, manager at the Aroma Café on Catherine Street in Limerick City, was driving alone on the Ballysimon Road last Tuesday night (January 6) when the suspected meteor careered across the heavens.
The object appeared to split into a number of pieces as it entered the earth’s atmosphere, he told the Limerick Post.
“It was about 11pm, I was by myself, it was super bright in the sky, it came out of nowhere,” explained Eryk.
“It stood out in the black sky, it was super bright, it looked whitish with a hint of blue.
“Before it faded, it split into three separate pieces and then it disappeared.”
Eryk said that he “made a wish” after witnessing the meteor, “but I can’t tell you what I wished for, otherwise it will not come true”.
When he went home, the café manager discovered he had captured a video of the meteor on his car’s dashcam later on.
“I was actually excited, I had never seen anything like it before. I have seen shooting stars, but nothing like this, not to this degree. This was different, this was super bright and unlike anything I had ever seen.”
“It seemed like it was gong to fall down on the earth and then it vaporised.
“I’ve always liked this stuff, but I don’t know much about the science behind it but I would like to know more about it”.
After immigrating to Ireland from his native Poland five years ago, Eryk said Ireland has been kind to his astronomical attraction.
Last May he was “blown away” by a sustained aurora borealis that resulted from a solar storm hitting Earth and showering the country with a night-time sky light show.
“I was up at Cratloe Hilltop at the time, living in Limerick has given me the most astronomical experiences I have ever had in my life,” he said.
“I drove to Belfast about a year ago on the hunt for aurora, but I didn’t see it, so I was lucky to see it here in Limerick.”
