A bright green orb appeared over Mount Mayon on May 25, 10:30 pm, just as a meteor struck the volcano’s flank. The video, which went viral, was later explaained by Harvard professor Avi Loeb as a satellite glint , not an extraterrestrial craft.

Satellite Glint Over an Erupting Volcano

According to NewsNation Prime, Loeb said the light was “most likely the glint from a satellite reflecting sunlight.” He noted that with more than 10,000 communications satellites orbiting Earth, such a coincidence is “not very unlikely.” The Philippine Information Agency confirmed that the footage was captured by multiple cameras, lending credibility to the satellite‑glint theory.

NASA and Volcanology Experts Praise the Coincidence

Bill Cooke, head of NASA’s Meteoroid Environments Office, called the footage “a gorgeous video of an unusual coincidence.” Volcanologist Rebecca Williams of the University of Hull described the event as “nothing more spectacular” than a volcanic eruption, highlighting the “juxtaposition of two of the most powerful forces in the natural world.” Physicist Peter Brown of Western University added that the meteor likely vaporized in the atmosphere, “producing no meteorite.”

Local Witnesses and Official Corrections

A resident of Los Baños recounted seeing the fireball, saying, “I thought it was a missile because of how bright it was.” The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology initially reported a meteor strike on Mayon’s northern slopes, but later corrected that the meteor disintegrated in the atmosphere, citing seismic, infrasound, and camera evidence.

Why the Coincidence Was Rare

Mount Mayon has been erupting effusively for 140 consecutive days, with continuous camera coverage. The combination of an active volcano, a meteor strike, and a satellite glint created a rare visual event that captured the public’s imagination, yet the sccience behind it is straightforward.

Unanswered Questions About the Satellite

While Loeb identified the light as a satellite reflection , the specific satellite involved has not been named. The exact orbital path and timing that produced the glint remain unclear, leaving room for further investigation by orbital mechanics experts.