US military scientists are investigating the mysterious explosion off the Butt of Lewis and hope to pinpoint the fireball using satellite pictures, it has been learnt.

Armagh Observatory in Northern Ireland, which is conducting its own investigation into the incident, has been contacted by the US military for information.

Professor Mark Bailey, the observatory director, believes a fireball, a very bright meteor-like object, could be responsible.

He said: "The initial description seems to fit a meteor or fireball coming in from outer space. It probably would have been a few metres in diameter before it dissipated in the atmosphere, leaving a dark vapour trail as it burnt up. Quite often a bang is heard, like a sonic boom, and sometimes people report hearing a swishing sound."

Prof. Bailey also revealed that he has been contacted by American colleagues for coordinates to enable them to check satellite images. He explained that the US military's high level satellites are trained on Earth to look for nuclear explosions but it was important for the scientists monitoring the pictures to be able to distinguish the explosion flares from natural phenomena like meteors, fireballs and man-made objects such as missiles.

Prof. Bailey stated he did not know precisely for whom his US colleagues worked, or whether they would in time confirm if the sightings off the Butt of Lewis were caused by a missile.

Claims have been made following the explosion that a naval frigate had been seen off the west coast of Lewis investigating and uplifting wreckage from the area where the object was believed to have crash landed.

A Parliamentary Question is to be put down regarding the incident.

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