Residents in Cirebon and surrounding areas of West Java witnessed a spectacular celestial event on the evening of Sunday, October 5, 2025. At approximately 6:30 PM Western Indonesian Time (WIB), a brilliant streak of light streaked across the sky, followed by a powerful boom that resonated across multiple regions. The phenomenon has been confirmed by Professor Thomas Djamaluddin, a senior researcher at the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), as the descent of a substantial meteor into the Earth's atmosphere.
Professor Djamaluddin's analysis indicates that the meteor entered the atmosphere between 6:35 PM and 6:39 PM WIB, traveling from the southwest towards the Java Sea and passing over the Kuningan and Cirebon regions. The intense friction generated a shockwave, causing the audible boom, which was precisely recorded by the BMKG Cirebon Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics Station at 6:39:12 PM WIB. He reassured the public that the event posed no threat, characterizing it as a natural occurrence. The bright flash and sound were a result of intense heat from atmospheric friction.
Clear weather conditions, with scattered clouds, ruled out lightning as the source of the sound, according to the BMKG Kertajati Station. While minor vibrations were detected by seismographs, the BMKG confirmed they were not indicative of an earthquake. The agency also clarified that celestial object monitoring falls under BRIN's purview, not BMKG's. Eyewitnesses from areas like Plumbon and Beber described startling booms and rattling vibrations, while observers in Astanajapura and Losari reported a distinct blue-white flash preceding the sound. Vibrations were even felt as far as Tegal and Brebes.
Indonesia has a history of witnessing similar celestial events, including a notable incident in Bone, South Sulawesi, on October 8, 2009, attributed to a small asteroid. Although the Draconid meteor shower, which occurs from October 6 to 10, is minor, it is generated by dust particles left by the Giacobini-Zinner comet. As was the case with the meteorite found in Sumatra, which is believed to be about 4.5 billion years old, it does not always have enormous monetary value. Both BRIN and BMKG affirmed that the recent Cirebon event was not dangerous. Scientific institutions encourage the public to document such occurrences for ongoing analysis. This event serves as a reminder of the dynamic nature of our solar system and the importance of scientific observation, with BRIN actively engaged in space research and developing satellite-based instruments for space weather monitoring.