A strange object variously described as a “ball of fire”, “shooting star” and “meteorite” was seen crossing low across the night sky by several people.

Readers contacted timesofmalta.com and the police last night to report the “wonderful” and “beautiful” sight, estimated to have lasted about 15 seconds sometime around 9pm.

The witnesses were in places ranging from Mellieħa to Fgura.

Christopher Azzopardi said he had seen a ball of fire flying overhead. It was “big and fast” but he was not sure whether it was a meteor.

Robert Bonello said he had seen what appeared to be a “mega shooting star or meteorite with a yellow tail behind it...extremely fast, beautiful but scary”.

The object was also seen by Maria Ellul and her cousin: it was like a ball with a “fire tail”, she said.

“A bright, reddish ball with a very short and thin tail” was how Marianna Petropoljac described the sight from the sixth floor of a Sliema building.

Nikol Falzon was at Balzan training ground when he and his mates saw the “UFO” at about 9.15.

The object had a “greenish tail of light” said Joseph Borg, who saw it from Marsaxlokk.

The police could not explain it.