A skydiver was almost hit by a meteorite as he was skydiving over Norway. The whole incident was filmed and the video was aired by the local broadcaster, NKR.
The skydiver is Anders Helstrup of Norwegian nationality, and the video was aired on Thursday, April 3. The footage was captured by the cameras affixed in Helstrup's helmet, and it showed a very large rock passing near Helstrup. The meteorite, which was travelling at a very high speed, passed by Helstrup just after he has opened his parachute.
"We've thought of all possible scenarios, like could it have been packed in the equipment? Or something falling from a plane? Or something belonging to the other flyers?"Helstrup told NRK, as reported by AFP.
According to Geologist Hans Amundsen, the meteorite caught in Helstrup's video was in its "dark flight" stage, or the stage wherein meteorites have burned through all of their fuel and can no longer emit light. If the authenticity of the video will be confirmed, this would be the first time that a meteorite was caught on video during its post-incandescence phase. Amudsen also commented that if Helstrup would have jumped a second later than he did, the meteorite will surely hit him.
Helstrup's encounter with the meteorite became viral on social media and many experts on the field got the chance to examine the video.
"I'm more than a little sceptical of this story, but it's not entirely ridiculous," astronomer Scott Manley expressed on Twitter.
Another astronomy blogger Phil Plait stated that he cannot say for sure if the video is authentic or not, because the chances of events like this to happen seem to be very slim.
However, according to Norwegian astrophysicist Pal Brekke, Helstrup's story was true. "I was part of the investigation - and kept secret for two years - in hope of finding the meteorite," Brekke said via Twitter, as reported by Universe Today.
