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Fire in the SkyS
This morning at 6:43 AM Central Standard Time, eyewitnesses across Texas and adjacent states saw a very bright fireball streaking across the sky, moving roughly east to west. It was also recorded by a NASA meteor camera in Mayhill, New Mexico some five hundred miles to the West, which is very unusual and testifies to the brightness of the event. This was not the re-entry of Kosmos 2251, which was destroyed in a collision with an Iridium satellite in February 2009; it is a meteor, most likely a fragment from the asteroid belt and not associated with the Geminid meteor shower.
Preliminary results indicate that there are meteorites from this meteor on the ground north of Houston, Texas--analysis is currently underway to refine the impact area. If pieces are recovered, it will be the 13th meteorite fall recorded in the state since 1909, and the first since Ash Creek, which fell in February of 2009.
A video (in Windows Media format) of the fireball as recorded by the NASA camera in New Mexico is attached to this message. The Moon is the bright object at lower center; the fireball is on the horizon at left and is surrounded by a white box when the camera detects it. Up is north, and left is east in the video.
Preliminary results indicate that there are meteorites from this meteor on the ground north of Houston, Texas--analysis is currently underway to refine the impact area. If pieces are recovered, it will be the 13th meteorite fall recorded in the state since 1909, and the first since Ash Creek, which fell in February of 2009.
A video (in Windows Media format) of the fireball as recorded by the NASA camera in New Mexico is attached to this message. The Moon is the bright object at lower center; the fireball is on the horizon at left and is surrounded by a white box when the camera detects it. Up is north, and left is east in the video.
Residents in the Yukon River community of Eagle are excited about a mysterious geologic event that is emitting fire, steam and a sulfur smell. Yukon Charley Rivers National Preserve lead Interpretative Ranger Pat Sanders says it all started on Sept. 27. "An explosion was heard, in Eagle, which is rare so of course we were interested," Sanders said.
Sanders says on Oct. 10 a fire was spotted about 2 miles up the Tatonduk River, known locally as Sheep Creek. She says the fire spread to about 15 acres. "And on the 15th of October we had snow and the fire was still going although it appeared to be emitting steam and there was a sulfur smell," Sanders said.
No one has been on the ground there yet, but overflight photographs reveal a slumping area that is steaming and looks a lot like a mini volcano crater.
Sanders says on Oct. 10 a fire was spotted about 2 miles up the Tatonduk River, known locally as Sheep Creek. She says the fire spread to about 15 acres. "And on the 15th of October we had snow and the fire was still going although it appeared to be emitting steam and there was a sulfur smell," Sanders said.
No one has been on the ground there yet, but overflight photographs reveal a slumping area that is steaming and looks a lot like a mini volcano crater.
© Linda Stromquist, NPS
Did you see it? Just before 7 o'clock this morning, there was a bright flash in the sky. North Texas callers to the KRLD Listener Line described it as a "fire ball" with a long greenish-blue tail. People as far south as Houston and as far East as Louisiana saw it as well. Bill Cook, the lead for NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office, says that their cameras in New Mexico picked up the flash of light at 6:43 am. "That's several hundred kilometers away," says Cook. " You normally don't see a meteor that far away."
Comment: That's a pretty big basketball to be seen over that large of an area (250 miles between Dallas and Houston) - and it was reported being seen much farther away than Houston:
NASA said Friday afternoon the meteor is likely a fragment from an asteroid belt and not associated with the Geminid meteor shower
Friday morning mysterious bright flash in sky reported across Texas - fireball not associated with the Geminids
American Meteor Society receives 30 reports of a bright fireball that occurred near 06:45 CST on Friday December 7, 2012 - Texas
The American Meteor Society has received 30 reports of a bright meteor that occurred near 06:45 CST on Friday December 7, 2012. Brightness estimates of this fireball vary considerably, but the average lies near magnitude -20, which lies between the full moon and the sun. Needless to say, it was very bright! Every color of the rainbow has been reported with green being most mentioned. Below is a map of the witness reports for the Texas fireball event and can also be found in the fireball logs, refer to event 2085.
Texas Fireball Event - December 7th, 2012 @ 6:30 CST
From McKinney to the White Rock Lake area and all the way south to Houston, a bright flash reported in the sky Friday morning captured the attention of many across the Lone Star State. One McKinney woman reported seeing what appeared to be a comet streaking across the sky in a bright flash around 6:42 a.m. near Stonebridge Shopping Center.
Justin Wagoner, who lives in the White Rock Lake area, said he saw a green trail and heard a large "sonic boom" around the same time. Others reported seeing white and orange colors. The sight only lasted a few seconds before vanishing in the sky.
According to Dr. James Roberts, a University of North Texas astronomer who talked to WBAP, the mysterious object in the sky was likely a burned up meteor. A KHOU meteorologist in Houston said it may have been part of the Geminids meteor shower, which takes place in December. The meteorites often appear to be slow moving and are usually best seen at its peak on December 13 and 14.
Mike Hankey, the operations manager with the American Meteor Society, said the meteor was most likely a fireball meteor, which is a meteor brighter than the norm. Hankey described a fireball as any meteor brighter than Venus.
© KHOUKHOU 11 News viewer Mary Bush, in the Houston area, took this photo about two minutes after the flash.
According to Dr. James Roberts, a University of North Texas astronomer who talked to WBAP, the mysterious object in the sky was likely a burned up meteor. A KHOU meteorologist in Houston said it may have been part of the Geminids meteor shower, which takes place in December. The meteorites often appear to be slow moving and are usually best seen at its peak on December 13 and 14.
Mike Hankey, the operations manager with the American Meteor Society, said the meteor was most likely a fireball meteor, which is a meteor brighter than the norm. Hankey described a fireball as any meteor brighter than Venus.
© Times of MaltaA videograb of mobile phone footage of the mysterious ball of fire.
The bright yellowish ball was seen and caught on video and camera by many, who uploaded the images on social network sites and sent them to timesofmalta.com.
Theories about the phenomenon posted on The Times website ranged from space debris to a missile. Several witnesses described it as a "ball of fire".
Amateur astronomer David Pace said the object was possibly a fireball - a large shooting star trailing flames. He said he had spoken to fellow astronomers who suggested it could have formed part of the Quadrantid Meteor Shower.
Residents of Columbia County are wondering what, or whom, is responsible for the boom.
Residents on and near Louisville Road near Appling reported hearing, and feeling, a loud boom early this morning.
"It woke me out of a dead sleep," said Terry Glasscock. "You could feel the vibration. It wasn't like the whole house shook, but you could feel it."
He said he went outside to see if a transformer had blown to discover his neighbors outside as well, also investigating the noise.
"I know the rock quarry blast. We hear the siren and can sometimes feel that, but this was a little different."
He said he felt something similar about six weeks ago, but did not report it.
Residents on and near Louisville Road near Appling reported hearing, and feeling, a loud boom early this morning.
"It woke me out of a dead sleep," said Terry Glasscock. "You could feel the vibration. It wasn't like the whole house shook, but you could feel it."
He said he went outside to see if a transformer had blown to discover his neighbors outside as well, also investigating the noise.
"I know the rock quarry blast. We hear the siren and can sometimes feel that, but this was a little different."
He said he felt something similar about six weeks ago, but did not report it.
L MO Meteor ~21:35 CST 04DEC2012
If you witnessed this meteor please file a meteor sighting report on this site; thank you!
Initial Sighting Reports:
04DEC2012 Brian Puyear Kansas City MO, USA 2137 8 seconds E-W, Left to Right, East orange Brighter than a stat. as bright as a plane or helicopter at the very end Thise ar e the facts, but I have to say. that was a big, long fucking meteor.
04DEC2012 Craig Hillis Harviell, Missouri USA 2135 15-20 seconds 2136 Green ball of light with sparks trailing behind it. Large smoke trail afterwards moon yes Second time i have witnessed this in a month and a half.
04DEC2012 loudtrumpet Belleville Illinois USA 2139 CMT 4 seconds N-S Multi-colored - No sound until no longer visable, then faint impact sound Moon No Like a shooting star, but much closer and more colorful.
04DEC2012 Jim Hillsboro, Illinois, USA 2135 US Central appx. 4-6 sec facing S travelled E-W white at start, began to fade, then became orange and brighter brighter than moon, less than sun none observed the color change was amazing!
04DEC2012 Shelby Shariatzadeh Chicago, IL 21:30:00 1-2 seconds North Yellow/White A little brighter than Venus no This was the second one I saw tonight in Chicago which is a bright city and you don't see many stars.
If you witnessed this meteor please file a meteor sighting report on this site; thank you!
Initial Sighting Reports:
04DEC2012 Brian Puyear Kansas City MO, USA 2137 8 seconds E-W, Left to Right, East orange Brighter than a stat. as bright as a plane or helicopter at the very end Thise ar e the facts, but I have to say. that was a big, long fucking meteor.
04DEC2012 Craig Hillis Harviell, Missouri USA 2135 15-20 seconds 2136 Green ball of light with sparks trailing behind it. Large smoke trail afterwards moon yes Second time i have witnessed this in a month and a half.
04DEC2012 loudtrumpet Belleville Illinois USA 2139 CMT 4 seconds N-S Multi-colored - No sound until no longer visable, then faint impact sound Moon No Like a shooting star, but much closer and more colorful.
04DEC2012 Jim Hillsboro, Illinois, USA 2135 US Central appx. 4-6 sec facing S travelled E-W white at start, began to fade, then became orange and brighter brighter than moon, less than sun none observed the color change was amazing!
04DEC2012 Shelby Shariatzadeh Chicago, IL 21:30:00 1-2 seconds North Yellow/White A little brighter than Venus no This was the second one I saw tonight in Chicago which is a bright city and you don't see many stars.
Several readers contacted our website this evening to report an unusual object, possibly a comet, crossing low in the night sky.
Edward Zammit, who lives in Mellieha, said that at about 8.45 he saw a comet in the sky crossing from north to the west of Malta. "It wasn't a shooting star, I saw it passing for about 15 seconds until is was hidden by nearby building," he said.
Markatia Bugeja reported that she had just seen 'the most wonderful asteroid passing over Malta at enormous speed.'
"I think it fell into the sea. It was a huge ball of fire with a long tail, it was amazing," she said, hoping that somebody had grabbed a picture.
Robert Bonello, said he had seen what appeared to be a 'mega shooting star or meteorite with a yellow tail behind it...extremely fast, beautiful but scary.
He asked if anyone could give an explanation.
Edward Zammit, who lives in Mellieha, said that at about 8.45 he saw a comet in the sky crossing from north to the west of Malta. "It wasn't a shooting star, I saw it passing for about 15 seconds until is was hidden by nearby building," he said.
Markatia Bugeja reported that she had just seen 'the most wonderful asteroid passing over Malta at enormous speed.'
"I think it fell into the sea. It was a huge ball of fire with a long tail, it was amazing," she said, hoping that somebody had grabbed a picture.
Robert Bonello, said he had seen what appeared to be a 'mega shooting star or meteorite with a yellow tail behind it...extremely fast, beautiful but scary.
He asked if anyone could give an explanation.
Comment: One very plausible explanation for these bizarre fires on power poles is the the many fireballs/cometary fragments that were seen approximately 24hrs later over wide swathes of Texas. See here for the many eyewitness reports of this increasingly common event.