Massive fireball flying object over Melbourne Jul 10, 9:42pm!

[John K]

Just observed a massive fireball flying object over Melbourne from Brunswick.

Would say -5 magnitude or brighter spotted in the Eastern sky at an elevating of about 30 degrees all the way going towards the northern horizon. Pieces streaking away from the object with a 10 degree tail.

This will be all over the news in the next few hours - most amazing object I have ever seen!

John K.

[mitcheast]

I saw it as well about 5 minuets later in the mid south coast of NSW! And I aggree it is one of the most amazing things I have also seen!!

[rustigsmed]

Yep it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen huge!!!

[mitcheast]

So does anyone know what it actually is yet? And does anyone know if its going to land/crash?

[icytailmark]

i missed it because im sick with a cold. The news said it was space junk

[Forgey]

This "meteor" sighting appears to be the re-entry of a man made space debris 14037J which is possibly part of the Soyuz rocket launched from Kazakhstan 2 days ago re-entering the atmosphere. What's more, the attached image shows the predicted decay (re-entry) of the object for which the track over SE Australia corresponds closely with the time and direction of people's observations.
Calsky data here http://www.calsky.com/observer/csrender.cgi?object=Satellite&number=3&obs=9854352155617&tdt=2456848.98389202&sat=40077&tracker

[Blue Skies]

Photo here. (http://earthsky.org/space/bright-meteor-lights-up-skies-over-southeastern-australia-on-july-10) Seems to have caused quite a stir!

[njohn55]

Clearly visible over Murray Bridge, South Australia. Spectacular.

Noel J

[astro744]

This map shows the object moving in a northerly to southerly direction. The two descriptions I read so far on this forum suggest it moving toward a northerly direction so it is unlikely 14037J unless the witnesses got their bearings wrong.

[Forgey]

It has been confirmed
http://www.spaceflight101.com/re-entry-of-soyuz-rocket-stage-catches-australian-observers-by-surprise.html

[rustigsmed]

if you put the time forward on the page a few minutes, it moves from south to north.

[deanm]

And this (http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25877-jellyfish-in-the-sky-was-a-highflying-rocket-plume.html#.U79wU_mSySo) is how it all started!

Dean

[Joves]

Is it not a bit ordinary/irresponsible that they actively send these things up into space with the knowledge they'll re-enter with certain components quite possibly surviving to impact the ground without really having control over where this could take place??

[Suzy]

The Sydney Morning Herald did a terrific article on it.
Gosh, there really is app for everything isn't there. :eyepop:

http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/fireball-seen-over-australian-skies-was-space-debris-from-russian-rocket-20140711-zt3pu.html

[astroron]

It's called "Risk Management" as with anything in life and space there is a risk, and the space faring nations think the risk is manageable.

Cheers:thumbsup:

[codemonkey]

I think I caught some of this myself; saw a very bright object streak through the sky, heading roughly east, for quite some distance before splitting into two and disappearing. Pretty cool! I think that was about 6:30pm.