Fire in the SkyS


Meteor

Meteor Lights Up Beach Night Sky in Photo

Tariq Malik
SPACE.com
Mon, 09 Jul 2012 11:50 UTC
Meteor
© Jack FuscoPhotographer Jack Fusco captured this serene view of a Bootid meteor over Cape May, N.J., at 2 a.m. ET on June 28, 2012. The Bootid meteor shower is an annual, but faint, display in late June.
A fleeting meteor streaks across the night sky over a New Jersey beach in serene view captured by a local photographer.

Night sky photographer Jack Fusco captured the meteor as it flared up over Cape May, N.J., beach in the wee hours of June 28, just after the peak of the annual Bootid meteor shower.

"The shower peaked about an hour after the moon had set, at about 2 a.m. EDT," Fusco told SPACE.com in an email. "Overall, it was a beautiful night for stargazing."

June's Bootid meteor shower is created by the remains of the Comet 7P/Pons Winnecke, according to the International Meteor Organisation.

The Bootid shower is classified as a variable meteor shower by the American Meteor Society because its annual displays are often dim, but can sometimes be impressive to lucky stargazers. Variable meteor showers typically only "produce strong activity on rare occasions," the society explains in an overview. "Most of the time, only a few scattered remnants of these showers are observered with rates of one shower member per night."
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Meteor

Expanding UFO with spiral trail recorded in Spain or Iraq

Tracey Parece
Examiner
Sun, 08 Jul 2012 17:10 UTC


A 30-year-old YouTube user from Spain, ToniAmazing7, posted a UFO video online with a title that indicated that the video was recorded somewhere over Spain on July 8, 2012. Unfortunately, those claims have turned out to be untrue. The video was actually recorded at least one month ago, allegedly in Iraq, making this another case of recycled UFO video footage. If you haven't seen it yet, it is still worth a look regardless of where and when it was actually recorded.
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Meteor

Meteor may have started Lake George blaze in Colorado


KSBY.com
Thu, 21 Jun 2012 18:44 UTC
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Aftermath of the Lake George fire in Colorado
Bellvue, Colorado - More people evacuated by the most destructive fire in Colorado history are set to return home today.

It's the second wave of evacuees allowed back in two days as firefighters ramp up their attack on the wildfire that's burned over 100 square miles and destroyed at least 189 homes.

Fire managers say the blaze is 55 percent contained.

Meanwhile, firefighters are making progress against another blaze in central Colorado, which may have been caused by a meteor. The 2-square-mile wildfire near Lake George is 39 percent contained.

The county sheriff says his office received multiple reports, including one from a person who thought a meteorite might have landed in a wooded area north of Buena Vista. He says officials could not confirm that report.

The National Weather Service says the Colorado sightings correspond with a report of a possible meteor filed by the crews of two commercial aircraft over Kansas and another over New Mexico, near the Colorado State line.

Source: Associated Press

Comment: Reign of Fire: Meteorites, Wildfires, Planetary Chaos and the Sixth Extinction

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Meteor

Raining fireballs! Two separate daytime meteors reported over US on same day, including Colorado wildfire meteor witnessed by two separate airline crews over Kansas and New Mexico


Hutch Post
Wed, 20 Jun 2012 18:31 UTC
Authorities say there were increased reports of a possible meteorite or meteor shower today, one of which briefly grounded firefighting aircraft battling a central Colorado wildfire.

One of the unconfirmed meteorite sightings came in from Salina around 6:31 PM, Wednesday.

Meteorologist Scott Entrekin of the National Weather Service says emergency officials in Chaffee County, Colorado reported a possible meteor in the skies near the Springer Fire. They briefly grounded four single-engine aircraft fighting the 1,100-acre blaze west of Colorado Springs.

Entrekin said Wednesday that the crews of 2 commercial aircraft flying over Liberal, Kan., reported what appeared to be a meteorite at 1:47 p.m. Central Daylight Time, or 12:47 p.m. Mountain time. He said the Colorado sighting occurred at about the same time.

The Federal Aviation Administration has yet to confirm reports of a meteorite. It says there were no reported disruptions to commercial airlines.

Source: Associated Press

Comment: For more on what appears to have been a remarkable explosion of atmospheric activity over the US Midwest on 20th June, read Reign of Fire: Meteorites, Wildfires, Planetary Chaos and the Sixth Extinction

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Meteor

Local Fire Chief Fears "Humongous" Fireball Could Have Started Wildfire In Colorado

Cailey McDermott
The Mountain Mail
Fri, 22 Jun 2012 17:22 UTC
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The worst wildfires in Colorado's history
Several residents reported seeing an unidentified flying object - later identified as a meteor - fly or fall over Salida at about 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

One Chaffee County resident, Sharon King, said she saw a glowing bright white light in the sky while sitting on her porch.

King told The Mountain Mail Thursday that she at first thought it was the glimmer of an airplane, until she saw the bright red tip.

"I watched it arch and fall to the ground," she said.

The whole viewing took about 5 seconds, King said.

She said she believed it fell somewhere in Piñon Hills and searched with binoculars - without success - for signs of smoke.

"It was pretty awesome. I've never seen anything like that in my life. It was an exceptional sight," she said.

Comment: Reign of Fire: Meteorites, Wildfires, Planetary Chaos and the Sixth Extinction

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Meteor

Fireballs, Meteors and Booms: April, May and June 2012


Sott.net
Thu, 05 Jul 2012 10:57 UTC
April 2012

Suspected meteor's fate fascinates astronomers

'Unbelievable' meteor seen in the skies over New Zealand - residents report 'loud boom' from large fiery meteor

San Antonio Fireball leaves area residents wondering

First 'February Fireballs', now 'April Fireballs': Daytime Meteor Streaks over Texas

Fireball spotted over Lake Michigan

Trooper, motorist: Mysterious object fell from sky
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Meteor

Burning meteorite trail lights up Australian sky for 20 minutes after rock plunges into the sea


Perth Now
Mon, 02 Jul 2012 14:22 UTC
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The meteorite trail seen over Perth, Australia
A burning trail lit up the sky over Western Australia for 20 minutes after an object suspected to be a meteorite plunged into the sea, leaving a burning orange trail that mesmerised local residents.

Beachgoers in Perth debated what could have caused the strange burning line in the sky, which persisted for 20 minutes. Most meteorite trails are only seen briefly - and seeing an object plunge into the sea is rare.

Local resident Gavin Trought captured a picture of the 'burning streak', saying, 'The weird streak in the sky seen from Cottesloe last night. I noticed it just before sunset.'

Meteorites are fragments of rock that land on Earth's surface. Those that burn up - 'ablate' - in Earth's atmosphere are referred to as meteors. Seeing such clear, fiery trails is rare.

Perth journalist Pip Moir posted a photo she took at Cottesloe Beach to Twitter shortly after 6pm as puzzled onlookers debated what caused the colourful phenomena.

Daniel Jongue, manager at Perth's The Naked Fig Cafe, said he saw 'something on the horizon'' just before sunset.

Jonque said that the fiery trail lasted for around 20 minutes.
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Meteor

Colorado firefighters hampered by winds, heat -- and meteors


LA Times
Thu, 21 Jun 2012 13:58 UTC
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© Jess Geffre / Associated PressA helicopter drops a load of water above the High Park wildfire in Colorado.
Firefighters in Colorado have battled the odds in trying to contain a blaze that has burned uncontrolled across 100 square miles of forest -- encountering precarious winds, heat and fatigue.

On Wednesday, they contended with a new force: meteors.

Authorities grounded firefighting aircraft as a precautionary measure after several reported meteor sightings near the High Park fire area they were trying to contain.

Chaffee County Sheriff W. Peter Palmer told the Los Angeles Times that his office received four reports of meteors striking the ground.

"People heard a boom; they saw things flying through the air, things like that," he said. "The local fire chief went looking for smoke to see if the impacts started another fire. That's the last thing we need."

Steve Segin, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, told the Associated Press that the crew of a heavy air tanker spotted something while making a slurry run on the blaze. "They weren't sure what it was," he said.
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Meteor

Perth Sunset Mystery: Was the Fiery Trail a Meteor?

Arlene Paredes
International Business Times
Mon, 02 Jul 2012 10:06 UTC
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Meteor sunset show in Perth? Image uploaded by Twitter user @yaseentheba
The sunset off the WA coast looked extra spectacular Friday as an object believed to be a meteor made a stunning view. A long yellow orange fiery trail is seen over the horizon over Cottlesloe, and photos of the sight immediately spread on Twitter.

However, it has not been confirmed whether the blazing display of colourful light was indeed a meteor plunge. PertNow reported it tried to reach Perth Observatory and Astronomy WA, but it "could not be reached for comment."

"The weird streak in the sky as seen from Cottesloe last night. I noticed it just before sunset," media reader Gavin Trought told PertNow in a photo caption.

"It looked like vapour. It was red, orange and yellow and quite beautiful,'' said Daniel Jongue, a manager at The Naked Fig Cafe.

Some readers who also saw the still mysterious phenomenon have commented on the PerthNow report.

"I live in the hills and was coming down about 5.45pm. I looked to the horizon and was amazed at what I saw. Not the same as this but pink in colour and going down in a straighter line than this picture. But still not something you would see normally," said reader blond61.
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Meteor

Alleged 'fireball' streaks across Louisiana sky

Barbara Leader
The News Star
Fri, 29 Jun 2012 17:09 UTC
West Monroe resident Obie Sims said he was enjoying a relaxing evening outdoors Thursday when he saw what appeared to be a huge bottle rocket streak across the sky about 10:45 p.m.

About a minute later, Sims said he heard a loud boom and his windows shook.

"I thought it was someone shooting fireworks," he said. "I must have just seen the tail of it and then it fizzled away."

Don Wheeler, an associate professor of natural science at Louisiana Delta Community College, said the occurrence was likely what is referred to as a "fireball", a small meteor that enters the atmosphere.

Wheeler said it is not unusual for meteors to enter the atmosphere, but the size makes fireballs more noticeable.

"It was likely the size of anywhere from a grapefruit to a basketball," he said. "Most often they are about the size of a key or even a grain of sand."

According to Wheeler, the larger size carries it deeper into the atmosphere and the speed of its journey often triggers a sonic boom.
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