Strange night sky flashes in Portugal explained

The phenomenon appears to have been seen across southwestern Europe, including Portugal.

Meteorologist Márcio Santos was one of the first to report a strange situation in the national skies and asked others whether they had witnessed the situation.

"Several reports from various parts of the country report something that appears to have exploded in the atmosphere and there are images. Does anyone know what it was?", he asked on social media.

[#Dissuasion] Tir d’essai réussi pour le missile #M51

La DGA a coordonné et de conduit avec succès un tir d’essai de missile M51 sans charge militaire depuis son site de Biscarrosse.

Il s’agissait du 1er tir d’un missile #M51 en version M51.3.#NotreDéfense @Armees_Gouv pic.twitter.com/pqZy2LJLxD

— Direction générale de l'armement (@DGA) November 18, 2023

Later, the French Army clarified that it had launched a missile from one of its bases in the southwest of the country.

"This was the first firing of a version of the M51 missile in its M51.3 version", clarified the French.