This phenomenon is now thought to have been due to sunlight scattered by dust from the fireball's plume.
In a letter to a newspaper, one reader wrote: 'I myself was aroused from sleep at 1.15am, and so strong was the light at this hour, that I could read a book by it quite comfortably.
At 1.45am, the whole sky was a delicate salmon pink, and the birds began their morning song.'
It must have been an amazing sight.....far enough away from the impact zone, of course.
Even more amazing close up...