A rippa meteor! - Page 2

asimov (John) · #21 04-12-2005, 05:03 PM

Where was the reported location on those sightings Ken??

fringe_dweller · #22 04-12-2005, 05:18 PM

channel 10 news have been featuring the story and footage all day on there news update - it will be on the local 5 oclock news in a few minutes

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #23 04-12-2005, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparkler

So how do you distinguish a meteorite from any other lump of rock you see lying on the ground?

They are easy to spot, Geoff. They are from Space!

See pic below for how to recognise them!

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #24 04-12-2005, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asi2cam

Where was the reported location on those sightings Ken??

From Albany(south of Perth), Kojonup, Kalgoorlie (400k East of Perth) across the wheat belt and out over the Southern Ocean!

fringe_dweller · #25 04-12-2005, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starkler

So how do you distinguish a meteorite from any other lump of rock you see lying on the ground?

the short answer is the sought after ones are metallic mostly - a magnet will give them away - also they use metal detectors to find buried ones

fringe_dweller · #26 04-12-2005, 05:53 PM

wow just saw the full report - some farmers were in shock after an ear splitting sonic boom - that even flipped open the hatch on a grain silo it was so powerful!!!!!!!

asimov (John) · #27 04-12-2005, 05:53 PM

I've seen plenty like the one I saw the other night in my time. Can't be the same one as sighted by other people that night. The one I saw was not overly bright, certainly didn't light up the whole sky. It was spectacular, but not as described in the reports you posted Ken.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #28 04-12-2005, 05:59 PM

I've only ever seen 2 giant Fireballs! One up at the Central Coast about 4 years ago and one down here about 12 years ago. They were amazing!!!!

Both were Orange, definately on fire, silent and dissapeared over the horizon on both occasions. They are stuck in my memory like videos!

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #29 04-12-2005, 06:14 PM

It was just on Channel 9 News Melbourne! They said they are not sure if it was a Meteor or SpaceJunk! but it made buildings shake as it flew over!!!!

fringe_dweller · #30 04-12-2005, 06:15 PM

who knows guys - Asi's and Astrogeek's could of been connected with the WA one - hard to say - but good on ya's for telling us about them - to many people keep this stuff to themselves

fringe_dweller · #31 04-12-2005, 06:16 PM

here's another news story http://tinyurl.com/837pa

fringe_dweller · #32 04-12-2005, 06:51 PM

John what time did you see yours? - and I know you would see nice bright meteors all the time living where you do and being outside at night so often,- so I am guessing it was pretty good for you to mention it in the firstplace

PS the news reader on channel 9 called it a 'spectacular meteorite' so your not the only one Asi

asimov (John) · #33 04-12-2005, 08:06 PM

Saw mine about 11 pm.

fringe_dweller · #34 04-12-2005, 08:18 PM

Thanks John!
would like to find a piece of mars or the moon with a dead martian worm in it - i would be RICH! HAHAHHAHHAA

sorry Geoff about the short answer - just googled - many great sites on the subject - they would probably hve a different look to surrounding rocks at a guess - they can be melted looking on the outside - and look different inside ect.

http://www.solarviews.com/eng/meteor.htm
http://www.meteorites.com/

great trivia fact about meteorites - you would think normally they would be hot to the touch straight after landing - but in fact they are often very cold after being cooled by the trip through the lower atmosphere

asimov (John) · #35 04-12-2005, 08:29 PM

The ones we found on the nullabour years ago were shaped similar to buttons called ablated tektites. Apparently they don't spin or rotate much as they enter the atmosphere & they end up looking like a little Apollo re-entry vehicle....the re-entry face ends up domed. They come in slower as there's a fair bit of atmospheric drag.

TidaLpHasE · #36 04-12-2005, 09:00 PM

Well i saw/didn't see

the brightest flash in the sky this morning at around 4:15 4:20 am.

I was imaging M42, and was watching a satellite coming from the north, I looked at the exposure time on the lcd screen when i noticed a flash in the corner of my eye.

It wasn't that big so i didn't bother looking for what it was, as a night of viewing has numerous flashes all over the sky.

A second or so later my whole back yard lit up brighter than day, i actually freaked out at it's intensity, and turned to see a dust, smoke, debris trail in the sky at least 25 degrees long.

It was awsome even seeing this smoke trail, it lasted only seconds then vanished into the background.

It was heading south about 50-60 degrees above the horizon.

Did anyone else from Melbourne see this this morning?

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #37 04-12-2005, 10:25 PM

No Trevor but all this talk about sightings in different States I think I might brave the wind and sit outside for a few hours tonight and see if I can spot myself a Meteor.

I definately won't see them sitting inside wingeing about the lousy weather!

gaa_ian (Ian) · #38 04-12-2005, 11:05 PM

Great discussion on Meteors
We saw a few bright Meteors up here during last nights viewing
Nothing like the WA or Vic Meteors though !
Sightings like these stay etched in our minds forever.

asimov (John) · #39 05-12-2005, 03:02 AM

Thought I'd better do the right thing & rename this thread correctly.

iceman (Mike) · #40 05-12-2005, 05:50 AM

I love the quote in the latest article linked by Kearn..

Quote:

I've seen a UFO over the desert in Utah in 1977 and this was much bigger and much brighter and much quicker," she said

When driving back from Lostock with Louie, we saw a bright fireball streaking from West to East, all the way down to the horizon. It was at least mag -8 or -10, had a tail with sparks flying off it.

An amazing sight.