There’s been some strange goings-on in Vietnam. Three “space balls” have been found in the north of the country during the first week of January 2016.
Weighing about 45 kilograms (99 pounds), the largest sphere was found near a river in Tuyên Quang Province. The other two orbs weighed 6 kilograms (13 pounds) and 250 grams (0.5 pounds) and were found in the neighboring Yen Bai Province.
Thanh Nien News reported that locals heard several “thunder-like noises from the sky” just before the objects were found.
The objects are made of metal and appear to be burnt on their exteriors. Officials have said that the spheres are not radioactive or explosive so they aren’t considered dangerous to humans, the VietNamNet reports.
The Vietnamese Ministry Of Defense investigated the curious case and confirmed that the objects are space junk, most likely to be compressed-air tanks from a missile or rocket. They also speculated that the objects were made in Russia, although it’s possible they were then sold to another country.
It brings to mind the story of Spain’s mysterious space balls last year. In November 2015, three spheres with a similar appearance also landed in fields of rural towns near Murcia, Spain. After investigation, these too were deemed to be space debris.
Image credit: VTV3
Top image credit: VietNamNet
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