THE BRIGHT object spotted in the sky in Sabah last night was a meteor, the Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change Ministry’s National Space Agency (Angkasa) said.

In a statement posted on the ministry’s Facebook and Twitter accounts this afternoon, Angkasa said it had received reports of the bright object in the sky and a loud bang last night at 11pm.

“From information obtained, Angkasa believes the object is a meteor and entered the Earth’s atmosphere due to the gravitational pull.

“A meteor comes from smaller fragments of an asteroid. It will enter the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds, causing friction with other particles in the atmosphere.

“This will cause the meteor to create heat, burn and release light,” Angkasa said in the statement, adding that there was no reason for concern as this was a natural phenomenon.

The agency said the loud bang heard by the public might be the sound of the meteor exploding into smaller fragments and dust before falling to the Earth’s surface. – August 21, 2018.