From southeastern Wisconsin to as far as Des Moines, Iowa and St. Louis, people reported seeing balls of fire, possibly meteors, streaking across the sky Sunday night.
No major meteor showers were expected in the northern hemisphere on Sunday night, said Jim Lattis, director of the University of Wisconsin-Madison astronomy department's Space Place. But he said it was possible that a minor shower may have been what prompted calls to authorities.
Fire in the Sky
Witnesses reported seeing a fireball streaking across the night skies above San Diego County on Thursday, prompting authorities to look for a crashed plane.
California Highway Patrol officers were among those who told officials they saw an object sizzle across the sky for four minutes over east San Diego County.
California Highway Patrol officers were among those who told officials they saw an object sizzle across the sky for four minutes over east San Diego County.
Civil aviation authorities in India are struggling to determine what caused at least 10 pilots to report seeing a "ball of fire" in the air Sunday morning.
Described by several pilots as a "ball of fire, orange in color and scattered," the phenomenon was said to have appeared over the Indian state of Gujarat and has left aircraft officials perplexed at its possible cause, the Sunday Express said.
Described by several pilots as a "ball of fire, orange in color and scattered," the phenomenon was said to have appeared over the Indian state of Gujarat and has left aircraft officials perplexed at its possible cause, the Sunday Express said.
[...] I was just outside in the back yard in Northern Georgia, and an incredibly bright light illuminated the dark yard like an arc lamp. I looked up and saw a meteor streaking overhead, white hot, which then broke up into orange, glowing fragments. This happened at 10:21PM EST. I apologize for posting something random like this, but it was astonishing. Perhaps it was a piece of space junk that reentered the atmosphere tonight. Did anyone else see this? It was truly spectacular.
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| ©Ray Palmer |
| Space Junk? |
Recorded Tuesday at about 2 am, the thirty minute long color film exposure also captured a bright but mysterious object that moved slowly across the sky for over an hour. Widely seen, the object began as a small point and expanded as it tracked toward the North (left), resulting in a comet-like appearance in this picture. What was it? Reports are now identifying the mystery glow with a plume from the explosion of a malfunctioned Russian rocket stage partially filled with fuel. The rocket stage was marooned in Earth orbit after a failed communication satellite launch almost a year ago on February 28, 2006. A substantial amount of debris from the breakup can be tracked.
PERTH residents were treated to a natural sky show last night when a glowing green meteor lit the southeastern sky.
Perth Observatory astronomer Ralph Martin said reports of a big meteor began flooding into the observatory from all over the metropolitan area about 10.15pm.
"It was reportedly travelling from west to east and was breaking up as it went," Mr Martin said.
Perth Observatory astronomer Ralph Martin said reports of a big meteor began flooding into the observatory from all over the metropolitan area about 10.15pm.
"It was reportedly travelling from west to east and was breaking up as it went," Mr Martin said.
A meteor with a green coloured tail flashed across Perth's skies last night, prompting several calls to Perth Observatory.
People as far south as Dunsborough and as far east as Chidlow reported seeing a flaming ball course through the heavens from about 9.30pm.
Observatory astronomer Andrew Williams said some witnesses reported seeing the meteor break up
People as far south as Dunsborough and as far east as Chidlow reported seeing a flaming ball course through the heavens from about 9.30pm.
Observatory astronomer Andrew Williams said some witnesses reported seeing the meteor break up
A draft UN treaty to determine what would have to be done if a giant asteroid was on a collision course with Earth is to be drawn up this year.
The document would set out global policies including who should be in charge of plans to deflect any object.
It is the brainchild of the Association of Space Explorers, a professional body for astronauts and cosmonauts.
At the moment, Nasa is monitoring 127 near-Earth objects (NEO) that have a possibility of hitting the Earth.
The association has asked a group of scientists, lawyers, diplomats and insurance experts to draw up the recommendations.
The document would set out global policies including who should be in charge of plans to deflect any object.
It is the brainchild of the Association of Space Explorers, a professional body for astronauts and cosmonauts.
At the moment, Nasa is monitoring 127 near-Earth objects (NEO) that have a possibility of hitting the Earth.
The association has asked a group of scientists, lawyers, diplomats and insurance experts to draw up the recommendations.
Newark - Something happened at around 9 p.m. Wednesday that a lot of people heard.
But nobody seems to have any idea what it was.
What it was, though, might forever remain a mystery.
It was a loud bang, something loud enough to be heard across southern and central Ohio, and loud enough to make small objects move in houses. Reports have rolled into The Advocate from Hanover to Heath, from Buckeye Lake to Granville, and NBC4 heard reports from Muskingum, Fairfield and Pickaway counties.
Rumors range from an earthquake to a meteor strike, a sonic boom to something ice-related.
Was it simply falling ice? That's what many, including NBC4's Jym Ganahl, believe. But many also went outside to check because it sounded like their houses had been hit.
But nobody seems to have any idea what it was.
What it was, though, might forever remain a mystery.
It was a loud bang, something loud enough to be heard across southern and central Ohio, and loud enough to make small objects move in houses. Reports have rolled into The Advocate from Hanover to Heath, from Buckeye Lake to Granville, and NBC4 heard reports from Muskingum, Fairfield and Pickaway counties.
Rumors range from an earthquake to a meteor strike, a sonic boom to something ice-related.
Was it simply falling ice? That's what many, including NBC4's Jym Ganahl, believe. But many also went outside to check because it sounded like their houses had been hit.
NEWARK - Something happened at around 9 p.m. Wednesday that a lot of people heard, or even felt.
What it was, though, might forever remain a mystery.
"It" was a loud bang, something loud enough to be heard across southern and central Ohio, and loud enough to make small objects move in houses. Reports have rolled into The Advocate from Hanover to Heath, from Buckeye Lake to Granville, and NBC4 heard reports from Muskingum, Fairfield and Pickaway counties.
What it was, though, might forever remain a mystery.
"It" was a loud bang, something loud enough to be heard across southern and central Ohio, and loud enough to make small objects move in houses. Reports have rolled into The Advocate from Hanover to Heath, from Buckeye Lake to Granville, and NBC4 heard reports from Muskingum, Fairfield and Pickaway counties.
Comment: Reports from Ohio to New Jersey. The night of the Super Bowl, there were reports of another from Minnesota down to Missouri and east into Illinois and Ohio.
Something's happening, and it is happening with greater frequency. Last week another was spotted in Turkey and one in the UK....
Nervous, anyone?
Comment: Where's Bruce Willis when we need him!