PhilSA confirms meteor sighting in Mayon

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May 27, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — The bright streak of light seen over Mayon Volcano in Albay on Monday night was a meteor, according to the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA).

The phenomenon was captured at 10:33 p.m. on Monday by a camera of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) installed on Ligñon Hill in Legazpi City.

PhilSA said the “shooting star” was a result of a space rock vaporizing due to intense friction as it plunged through the atmosphere at an extreme speed.

“Meteors usually burn up at altitudes of 60 to 100 kilometers above sea level,” PhilSA stated. “The heat ionizes the air molecules around them, creating a bright, glowing streak.”

The space agency said that while meteors enter the atmosphere daily, a vast majority burn up completely before hitting ground.

Only fragments that survive the entry and impact the surface are classified as meteorites.

Video footage of the brilliant flash of light behind the silhouette of the volcano has gone viral on social media.

PhilSA said that tracking such trajectories is a complex process, noting that scientists utilize radar, optical camera networks and computational modeling to detect and monitor celestial events.