Welcome to AOAS.ORG
Thursday, March 28 2024 @ 11:16 am EDT
|
Forum Index > Observing > Solar System | |||
Anyone catch that object? |
| | Printable Version |
Anonymous: Cindy |
|
||||||
|
A group of us were heading back to Eureka Springs, AR from Joplin, MO Saturday, October 18th around 3:00 to 3:30 a.m. The first to spot the object said it looked like an explosion, when I got to view it, it had a trail like a comet. The first people to see it said from start to finish, the object and trail were visible for approximately 15 seconds. The object appeared to be in the southern to southeastern sky. Anyone see it? |
||||||
|
|||||||
dgrosvold |
|
||||||
Admin Status: offline Registered: 06/18/03 Posts: 449 |
I didn't see it, but it sounds like a bolide ( a meteor large enough to show a distinct fireball.) 3:00 - 3:30 AM on Saturday would be a tough time to catch something like that. You were in the right place at the right time, it appears. Dave - Morrow, AR |
||||||
|
|||||||
bobmoody |
|
||||||
Sage Status: online Registered: 06/19/03 Posts: 461 |
I also agree with Dave about it being a bolide, but unfortunately, I didn't see it either. We had been observing here earlier and had seen numerous small meteors. The Orioniid meteor shower is due to peak on the late evening/early morning hours of Oct 22. These meteors typically have 30 to 45 per hour at the peak, and I do know that an occasional fireball has been reported associated with them. These meteors are spawned by Comet P/1 Halley but there is no way to know when Halley shed the material that we see each year as the shower peaks. Bob Moody |
||||||
|
|||||||
Anonymous: Cindy |
|
||||||
|
The story varies somewhat on the size. 5 of us saw it. The 2 guys up front saw a huge blast, they say between the size of the sun & moon. When I saw it, it appeared to me if I held my fingers in a circle around the object it would be the size of a nickle. They say the original blast, if you will, was bright and reddish. What I thought it looked like was a comet. |
||||||
|
|||||||
dgrosvold |
|
||||||
Admin Status: offline Registered: 06/18/03 Posts: 449 |
What you describe still sounds like a bolide. A whole comet doesn't explode - it's far out in space, not in the atmosphere. pieces of a comet, however, do explode - that's what a bolide is. Dave - Morrow, AR |
||||||
|
|||||||
Anonymous: Cindy |
|
||||||
|
Thanks guys for your responses. I asked my man tonight to look at the moon. I asked him if it was as big as the moon, and he said no. He thought it was bigger because of the explosion. My first post was more accurate, however, as I was gazing this evening, I should modify the size of what I saw as well. It would have been the size of an eraser on the end of a pencil. My man thought it did not enter the earth's atmosphere. He said he thought it glanced off of it. He did not think it as cool, as much as scary, due to the movie Armagedin. He said if it had hit, it would not have been good. I have been researching since and have found a few pictures of what I saw but of course, not exactly like it. Again thank you for responding and I will check the sights you recommended. Nighty! |
||||||
|
|||||||
bobmoody |
|
||||||
Sage Status: online Registered: 06/19/03 Posts: 461 |
Cindy, I still agree with Dave about it being a bolide, but besides being a piece of a comet, ANY incoming material, whether cometary or asteroidal, could have made a similar sight. Bob Moody |
||||||
|
|||||||
Anonymous: Cindy |
|
||||||
|
Bob, Thanks so much for the info. We are all still very excited about having witnessed this event. I do appreciate your responses guys. It was very cool. |
||||||
|
|||||||
Content generated in: 0.15 seconds |
|
All times are EDT. The time is now 11:16 am. |
|
|