Fireballs
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Meteor fireball over the south of Spain (Feb. 14)

Meteoroides.net
Tue, 15 Feb 2022 11:00 UTC

This bright bolide was spotted over Spain on February 14, at 21:59 local time (equivalent to 20:59 universal time). It was almost as bright as the full Moon. The fireball was observed by a wide number of casual eyewitnesses, who reported it on social networks.

The event was generated by a rock (a meteoroid) from a comet that hit the atmosphere at about 54,000 km/h. The fireball overflew Andalusia. It began at an altitude of about 82 km over the center of the province of Jaén, moved southeast, and ended at a height of around 48 km over the southwest of the same province.

This bright meteor was recorded in the framework of the SMART project, operated by the Southwestern Europe Meteor Network (SWEMN) from the meteor-observing stations located at Calar Alto, Sierra Nevada, Sevilla, La Sagra (Granada), Huelva, El Aljarafe, and La Hita (Toledo). The event has been analyzed by the principal investigator of the SMART project: Dr. Jose M. Madiedo, from the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia (IAA-CSIC).

Meteor fireball over Colorado and New Mexico on February 13

American Meteor Society
Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:07 UTC

We received 7 reports about a fireball seen over CO and NM on Sunday, February 13th 2022 around 01:27 UT.

For this event, we received one video.

Meteor fireball over Nebraska and other states on February 13

American Meteor Society
Mon, 14 Feb 2022 12:00 UTC

We received 40 reports about a fireball seen over CO, KS, ME, MO, NE, NM, OK, SD and TX on Sunday, February 13th 2022 around 12:45 UT.

For this event, we received 3 videos.

Meteor fireball over Georgia, Florida and South Carolina on February 11

American Meteor Society
Sat, 12 Feb 2022 11:31 UTC

We received 4 reports about a fireball seen over FL, GA and SC on Friday, February 11th 2022 around 08:24 UT.

For this event, we received one video and one photo.

Meteor fireball over Kentucky and other states on February 11

American Meteor Society
Sat, 12 Feb 2022 11:20 UTC

We received 29 reports about a fireball seen over IL, IN, KY, OH and TN on Friday, February 11th 2022 around 03:24 UT.

For this event, we received 2 videos.

Vatican Observatory announces discovery of 'trans-Neptunian object'

Jonah McKeown
Catholic News Agency
Thu, 10 Feb 2022 20:21 UTC

The Vatican Observatory recently announced the discovery of an object orbiting the sun at a distance of between 3.3 and 4.8 billion miles, which could help to aid scientists in understanding more about the origins of the solar system.

The object, which was first detected in early December last year and announced last week, is classified as a "trans-Neptunian object" because it orbits the sun at a distance greater than that of Neptune, the furthest planet from the sun.

Chris Graney, an adjunct scholar at the Vatican Observatory, told CNA in an email that TNOs are thought to include remnants of the original materials from which the planets of the solar system formed, and therefore TNOs hold clues for scientists about the early solar system and its formation.

"This one TNO is just a piece of the puzzle -- but we at the Vatican Observatory are happy to add this piece," Graney told CNA.

The Vatican Observatory operates the Vatican Advanced Technology Telescope, located in rural Arizona about 200 miles southeast of Phoenix. It was this telescope that made the discovery of the TNO, which has been dubbed 2021 XD7.

Fireball caught on camera in Alta, Norway on February 10

Hans Idar Haldorsen
YouTube
Thu, 10 Feb 2022 09:33 UTC

I was in Peska in Alta, Norway when I suddenly saw this bright light crossing the sky. It was really bright. And I could clearly see the tail of the meteorite as it crossed the sky.

First time in my life that I have seen a meteorite in daylight.

Meteor fireball over Texas and other states on February 8

American Meteor Society
Wed, 09 Feb 2022 11:52 UTC

We received 58 reports about a fireball seen over AR, LA, OK and TX on Wednesday, February 8th 2022 around 02:42 UT.

For this event, we received one video.

A 'treasure map' to find meteorites in Antarctica

Delft University of Technology
Sat, 22 Jan 2022 17:54 UTC

A Dutch-Belgian team of scientists have used machine learning to create the first-ever 'treasure map' that shows where in Antarctica meteorites are likely to be found.

Meteorites are samples from space that can be found as stone-like material on the surface of the Earth. Once recovered, meteorites provide crucial information on the formation and evolution of our Solar System. Which in turn is important for research into the origins of our planet, and of life on Earth.

The scientists' new calculations suggest that more than 300,000 meteorites are still present, with enormous scientific potential, but until now they have been difficult to find. "We found several never-visited meteorite-rich areas that are relatively close to research stations," said Stef Lhermitte, who was involved in the study along with assistant professor David Tax from TU Delft.