Leiden, The Netherlands Three Fireballs (Lanterns NOT Meteors) 22:40 23APR2011

Leiden, The Netherlands (Holland) Three Fireballs 22:40 23APR2011
We saw three big red-ish fireballs falling from the sky. They were quite low in the atmosphere and they seemed to be pretty close. They were travelling from West to East(?)We live in Leiden, the Netherlands and we witnessed the event at around 22.40 local time, 23 of april 2011.

Hi Dirk, hi observers,
These were *NOT* fireballs. I witnessed two of them myself (from Leiden, same date, same time: direction of movement from northeast to southwest however, consistent with teh prevailing wind at that time). They were so-called "Thai hot-air balloons", miniature hot-air balloons that are currently very popular for garden parties etc. They consist of a bag and a burner. As soon as the weather gets comfortable, we get loads of reports on these. -Dr Marco Langbroek

Hallo, ik post het onderstaande even i.o.v Marco Lnagbroek die het ook heeft waargenomen en vraagt om deze commentaar te geven.:
Zie wat ik poste op DMS-mail de 23e: dit waren Thaise lampions! Ik heb er,
inderdaad rond het genoemde tijdstip, persoonlijk twee zien gaan, overigens van
noordoost naar zuidwest, vanuit de Leidse binnenstad.
Groeten,
Jean-Marie Biets

Rio Branco, Acre, Brasil Space Trash!!! Fireball or Meteor? 23/24APR2011

Rio Blanco, Acre, Brasil Fireball Space Trash!!! or Meteor 24APR2011
Imagens dos Meteoritos em Rio Branco no Acre
Uploaded on Apr 25, 2011
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plpAmDrc1pA
The video appears to show the re-entry of space trash for this 23/24APR2011 Brasil Fireball Event.

Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plpAmDrc1pA In the early hours of Saturday to Sunday (day 23 to 24/4/2011) was seen in the sky of Rio Blanco - Acre a fireball with beam of light crumbling to pieces, horizontally across the sky for a medium period (about 2 minutes) shining as if burned and then going off and getting light beam, the image displayed corresponded to almost half of the trajectory, ie, low intensity .
---
Link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plpAmDrc1pA Na madrugada de sábado para domingo (dia 23 para 24/4/2011) foi visto no céu de Rio Branco - Acre uma bola de fogo com feixe de luz se desintegrando em vários pedaços, cruzando o céu na horizontal por um médio período (aproximadamente 2 minutos) brilhando como se queimasse e apagando-se depois e ficando feixe de luz, a imagem apresentada correspondia a quase metade da trajetória, ou seja, com pouca intensidade.
http://mais.uol.com.br/view/h07f3c1cbmfq/meteorito-caindo-varios-em-rio-branco--acre-04020D9A3260D8811326?types=A&;

info found and posted 24JUL2013
2013 THE Year of Meteors, Asteroids, Comets, and MORE!!

Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India Bright Green Meteor 23APR2011

Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India Bright Green Meteor 9:30 pm 23APR2011
On 23Apr2011 about 9.30 P.M. (Indian Time zone) i saw a meteor falling towards NE, it was in bright green and i can see the burning particles with naked eye when falling it was beautiful to watch.at first i thought it was a local fireworks and waited for more, but no sign of continuation, sounds, smoke. Then I decided it was a meteoroid and took the camcorder and waited for more but no luck.It may be fallen on earth if it remains as a piece of solid rock. Today i am searching for any news of it and found this site. I am from Rajahmundry from the State of Andhra Pradesh -India
Thanks, Niranjan -- India

Georgia SC Meteor 23APR2011

Beaufort, South Carolina Meteor 1:30 am 23APR2011
April 23, 2011 at approximately 1:30 am as I took my dogs outside for a late night pee I saw what looked like a large bottle rocket streaking in a southerly direction over Beaufort SC towards Parris Island. It produced no sound and lasted for no more than 2 seconds. -Anthony F.


McIntosh County, Georgia meteor ~2:00 am 23APR2011
Guest716 (guest):April 23rd, around 2am. We were driving on 95 North in Georgia, McIntosh County area. The sky lit up, and we saw a fireball streaking across the sky. It was on fire, lighting up the area brighter than a military flare.The fireball fell on an angle heading into the trees and we lost sight of it.

Brunswick, Georgia
Karen Jones Wright: On April 23rd, 2011 at about 2:20am, I saw a meteorite streaking across the sky. I was on I95, in about Brunswick, Georgia.The fireball was going from NW to the East.It was HUGE... about the size of the moon in the night sky. I saw it for about 2 seconds before I lost sight of it beyond the trees on the highway.It was a tear drop shape with no visible smoke trail. It was a white/yellow color.Truly amazing to see!It appeared so close,it must have landed within a 1/4-1/2 mile from me!

College Station, TX Green Meteor 22APR2011

College Station, TX.Green Meteor. ~10:00PM 22APR2011
Guest255 (guest) wrote :College Station, TX.Green Meteor.Lasted about 3-5 seconds ~10:00PM

San Antonio, TX. Green Meteor. ~2200 22Apr11
Robert L. Sawyer III wrote: North of San Antonio, TX. Green Meteor. ~2200 22Apr11...saw the end...@410 &Crossroads... NNE (towards Boerne)

San Antonio, TX, USA  Meteor ~10:00pm 22APR2011 
location in sky for the start and end of the meteor with angle from the horizon for the
start and end) – overhead from approx. south to north-northwest
direction you were facing and meteor was moving right or left? – roughly north. It was moving only slightly to the left (north-northwest)
color(s) – light green
meteor direction of travel – south to north - northwest
duration (secs) – ~ 3 secs
brightness (bright as Venus, Moon, Sun?) – moon
any sounds (sizzle or booms) – ??
fragmentation were pieces falling off ? No? Seemed to have a tail and greenish ball that disappeared fairly completely
and other comments that you think are important – I was in downtown San Antonio, very urban area. My first sighting!
Mo Brown


Wimberley,TX Green Meteor April 22 2011
At around 10pm saw a bright white trail that ended in a flash of green light. 


San Antonio, TX at 10:22pm
Sirs, on 22 April 2011 I was leaving a play with my wife and on the way to the parking lot I spotted a green meteor traveling southeast to northwest over San Antonio, TX at 10:22pm. This object left a trail from horizon to horizon. There was no detectable sonic boom but the trail was about four times wider than a "normal" large meteor streak. I hope this helps you, thanks. -Thunder Hawk

California Bright Flash a Meteor? 21APR2011

Hemet, California  9:56 pm 21APR2011
I Saw a huge blue explosion in the sky tonight! 9:56pm, April 21, 2011 Hemet Ca. Explosion lit up the entire horizon and half the sky. Did not hear any sound. It was in the Western Sky from me -Carrie

Double Green Flash in Los Angeles, California
I also saw a similar double green flash-- on the night of april 1st, thought. I was driving south on beverly glen toward westwood village and a good part of the sky just above the horizon flashed vivid green twice before going out. Both my girlfriend and I saw it, remains one of the more bizarre things Ive seen. From the other user's description it sounds like the same event in the same place, though he may have recalled the date incorrectly. I remember it was the first because we were driving home from a birthday party that day. Perhaps the same event recurred twice? Not likely.
Thanks,
Jon H.

Chatbox Meteor Reports

Somerset County, Pennsylvania Meteor 9Pm 17APR2011
Apr 19 2011, 10:52 AM Tokyo Timestamp

Guest451 (guest):April 17,2011 9PM Southwest PA,Somerset County.Large meteor, I think,with firey tail traveling south.

London, UK 10 pm 18APR2011
Apr 20 2011, 6:50 AM Tokyo Timestamp

Adam Makowski wrote :saw two distant stars travel from southwest to south east over london UK on 18th April 2011 at around 10 pm. Within an hour (unrelated) a helicopter was following a small object with a red light. First sighting was like two stars moving through space whilst keeping the same distance apart and following the same line of travel. Could have been between 9 and ten pm GMT. can`t give coordinates as don`t understand them yet. Seen from south and traveling east. 18-04-2011

Perth, Western Australia 2:50 am 20APR2011
Apr 20 2011, 5:48 PM Tokyo Timestamp

Guest426 (guest):from Perth Western Australia.. was driving roughly east along Gnangara Rd last nite at 2.50am and saw the biggest fireball or meteor I've ever seen. It appeared to be decending down in the East/Southeast at about 20-30 degrees off the vertical. First noticed it at about 2 hand widths above the hozizon and I reckoned it flared to about a small fingernail at arms length... whole process about 2-3 seconds. Like I said biggest and brightest I've ever seen. -Simms

The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News 23APR2011

Meteor Shower Tonight: 2011 Lyrids To Peak April 22, 23 (PHOTOS)
Huffington Post
According to EarthSky, April's annual meteor shower brings bright streaks trailing across the sky at around 10-20 meteors per minute when at its peak. They also report that the Lyrids are particularly known for rare outbursts that spontaneously surge ...


Identified flying objects
Wethersfield Post
By Ron Robillard Paul J. and Minnie Cassarino were sleeping in their house on Middletown Avenue early on the morning of April 8 when an uninvited guest from outer space crashed through their roof - a meteorite about three inches across. ...


Meteor shower approaching peak
UPI.com
LONDON, April 22 (UPI) -- Skywatchers hoping for an impressive astronomical display say the Lyridmeteor shower should reach its peak over the next two days, experts in Britain said. Astronomers said the Lyrid shower can be fickle but under ideal ...


Night Sky News: April Auroras and Meteor Showers
NatGeo News Watch (blog)
Adding to the weekend show will be a minor but pretty annual meteor shower called the Lyrids. You can consider it the poorer cousin of the more famous August Perseids, because the hourly fall rates are much more modest. But the “April shower” is known...


BBC News Skywatchers set for meteor show
Skywatchers are hoping for an impressive sky show over the next two days, when the Lyrid meteorshower reaches its peak.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-13161054


NASA - NASA WORKSHOP: METEOR VIDEO OBSERVATIONS AND ANALYSIS
The advent of low cost, low light level video cameras has resulted in the rapid spread of meteor video systems, from narrow field to all-sky. ...
www.nasa.gov/offices/.../spotlight_MeteorVideoWorkshop.ht...


Lackluster Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight Yahoo News
An annual April meteor shower will peak tonight (April 22), but skywatchers shouldn't expect a spectacular show, experts say.
news.yahoo.com/s/.../lacklusterlyridmeteorshowerpeakstonight


Meteor Season is Starting - St. Louis astronomy | Examiner.com
The Lyrids, one of the most ancient of the known meteor showers, are about to start off the season for meteor observing. The Lyrids will peak on the night ...
www.examiner.com/astronomy-in.../meteor-season-is-starting-...


Lyrid meteors give Earth an April shower | Astro Bob
By astrobob
The Lyrid meteor shower will appear to radiate from near the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra the Harp. This map shows the sky facing east around midnight tonight and Friday night. Created with Stellarium ...
Astro Bob - http://astrobob.areavoices.com/

The Fickle Lyrid Meteors Sky & Telescope The mornings around April 22nd and 23rd bring the annual, and highly variable, Lyridmeteor shower. Outbursts of Lyrids have been seen since at least 687 BC (when Chinese records say "stars dropped down like rain"), but in most years meteorwatchers ... 隕石黑市買賣生意興隆 紐時周報精選 語言學習 udn校園博覽會 近年發現了更多隕石人們對它的興趣隨之大為提高非法買賣也激增這種現象使有意研究隕石的人以及與將它視為國家財產的各國政府深感驚愕 ... mag.udn.com/mag/campus/storypage.jsp?f...ID... Now's The Time To See The Space Station, And Here's How To Do ItNPR (blog) "You wouldn't mistake it for a meteor, because a meteor is just a momentary flash; you wouldn't mistake it for a plane, because they have blinking lights. Right now, it's a slam dunk to spot the Space Station." OK, so how can you spot it? ... Authorities find remains of meteor that falls in El-Khewi Locality in North ... Sudan News Agency Al-Obeid, April 20 (SUNA) - A joint team of the Ministry of Minerals and security organs in North Kordofan State Tuesday found the remains of the meteor that fell in the night of April 4 in the locality of El-KhewiIn a statement to SUNA, ... April 20, 1958: 'Ball of Fire'Patch.com An astronomer at Agnes Scott College called the ball a “giant meteor.” According to reports, themeteor was a bright red sphere that left a short tail of red and white flames. Most of the congregation at the First Baptist Church of Winder saw the ... SLU Identifies Rock Found by Griesheimer as Meteorite The Missourian Thu, 21 Apr 2011 07:52 AM PDT Professors at St. Louis University recently informed Franklin County Presiding Commissioner John Griesheimer that this rock he found in his yard more than a year ago is a meteorite. Professors believe the rock came from an asteroid. ...

Meteor Activity Outlook for April 23-29, 2011

by Robert Lunsford

During this period the moon reaches its last quarter phase on Monday April 25. 
At this time the moon will lie ninety degrees east of the sun and will rise near 
0100 LDT (Local Daylight Time) for those situated in the mid-northern latitudes. 
While the moonlight will cause interference for meteor observing, the effects 
will be much less than when the moon is near its full phase. The estimated total 
hourly rates for evening observers this week is near two as seen from the 
northern hemisphere and three as seen from the southern hemisphere. For morning 
observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near nine from the northern 
hemisphere and twelve as seen from south of the equator. The actual rates will 
also depend on factors such as personal light and motion perception, local 
weather conditions, alertness and experience in watching meteor activity. 
Morning rates are reduced due to moonlight. 

The radiant (the area of the sky where meteors appear to shoot from) positions 
and rates listed below are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning April 23/24. 
These positions do not change greatly day to day so the listed coordinates may 
be used during this entire period. Most star atlases (available at science 
stores and planetariums) will provide maps with grid lines of the celestial 
coordinates so that you may find out exactly where these positions are located 
in the sky. A planisphere or computer planetarium program is also useful in 
showing the sky at any time of night on any date of the year. Activity from each 
radiant is best seen when it is positioned highest in the sky, either due north 
or south along the meridian, depending on your latitude. It must be remembered 
that meteor activity is rarely seen at the radiant position. Rather they shoot 
outwards from the radiant so it is best to center your field of view so that the 
radiant lies at the edge and not the center. Viewing there will allow you to 
easily trace the path of each meteor back to the radiant (if it is a shower 
member) or in another direction if it is a sporadic. Meteor activity is not seen 
from radiants that are located below the horizon. The positions below are listed 
in a west to east manner in order of right ascension (celestial longitude). The 
positions listed first are located further west therefore are accessible earlier 
in the night while those listed further down the list rise later in the night. 

The following showers are expected to be active this week: 

The elusive Pi Puppids (PPU) are now active from a radiant located at 07:20 
(110) -45. This area of the sky lies in south-central Puppis near the third 
magnitude star Sigma Puppis. This radiant is best placed as soon as it becomes 
dark as it culminates during the afternoon hours when the sun is still above the 
horizon. These meteors are nearly non-existent away from the night of April 
24th. Even on that night it would be lucky to spot just one, especially from the 
northern hemisphere, where the radiant lies low in the southwest at dusk. This 
shower has produced outbursts in the past so it should be monitored whenever 
possible, especially from the southern hemisphere. With an entry velocity of 
only 18 km/sec., the average Pi Puppid meteor would crawl through the sky at a 
snails pace. 

Studies of the IMO video database by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel has 
revealed a weak radiant active at this time in the constellation of Virgo. Video 
data shows that the Sigma Leonids (SLE) are active from April 18th through the 
25th with maximum activity falling on the 21st. The radiant is currently located 
at 13:46 (207) +04. This position lies in eastern Virgo, five degrees northwest 
of the fourth magnitude star Tau Virginis. The radiant is best placed near 
midnight LDT, when it lies highest above the horizon. At 20km/sec. the Sigma 
Leonids would produce obvious, slow meteors. Expected rates are less than one 
per hour no matter your location. 

There is also a second new radiant active in Virgo this time of year. Video data 
shows that the h Virginids (HVR) are active from April 22-25 with maximum 
activity occurring on the 22nd. On the evening of the 21st (22nd UT), the 
radiant is located at 14:16 (214) -11. This position lies on the Virgo/Libra 
border, two degrees southeast of the fourth magnitude star Kappa Virginis. The 
radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT, when it lies on the meridian and is 
highest above the horizon. At 24km/sec. the h Virginids would produce more slow 
meteors. Expected rates would also be less than one per hour no matter your 
location. 

The wide Antihelion (ANT) radiant is now centered at 15:04 (226) -18. This area 
of the sky lies in central Libra, four degrees southeast of the third magnitude 
star Zubenelgenubi (Alpha Librae). This radiant is best placed near 0200 LDT 
when it lies on the meridian and is located highest in the sky. Due to the large 
size of this radiant, any meteor radiating from Libra, extreme eastern Hydra, 
northern Lupus, or western Scorpius could be a candidate for this shower. Rates 
at this time should be near one per hour as seen from the northern hemisphere 
and two per hour as seen from south of the equator. With an entry velocity of 30 
km/sec., the average Antihelion meteor would be of medium-slow speed. 

The major shower known as the Lyrids (LYR) are active from April 16th through 
the 25th. Maximum activity occurs on the 23rd. The radiant is currently located 
at 18:13 (273) +32. This position lies on Hercules/Lyra border, nine degrees 
southwest of the brilliant blue-white zero magnitude magnitude star known as 
Vega (Alpha Lyrae). The radiant is best placed during the last dark hour before 
dawn, when it lies highest above the horizon. At 48km/sec. the Lyrids would 
produce meteors of medium velocity. Expected rates this weekend are near two per 
hour during the last dark hour before dawn. Due to the northerly declination of 
the radiant, these meteors are not well seen from high southern latitudes. 

The team of Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel have a third weak radiant active at 
this time in the constellation of Cygnus. Video data shows that the Nu Cygnids 
(NCY) are active from April 18th through May 7th. Maximum activity occurred on 
the morning of April 20th. The radiant is currently located at 20:50 (312) +42. 
This position lies in central Cygnus, three degrees south of the first magnitude 
star Deneb (Alpha Cygni). The radiant is best placed during the last dark hour 
before dawn, when it lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. At 42km/sec. 
the Nu Cygnids would produce meteors of medium velocity. Expected rates are near 
one per hour during the last dark hour before dawn. Due to the northerly 
declination of the radiant, these meteors are not well seen from south of the 
equator. 

Activity from the Eta Aquariids (ETA) may be seen late next week. This major 
shower is active from April 28 through May 21. This shower is caused by 
particles from Halley's Comet, produced in Earth-crossing orbits many centuries 
ago. We pass closest to these orbits from May 5 through the 9th. During this 
period the Eta Aquariids are at their best, capable of producing ZHR's of 
seventy. The actual visible rates are most often less than half this figure due 
to the low altitude of the radiant at dawn. Observed hourly rates at maximum 
normally vary from zero at 60 degrees north latitude to 25 near the equator and 
back down to near zero again in Antarctica, where the radiant elevation is very 
low. Hourly rates this week are anywhere from zero to two per hour depending on 
your latitude and observing conditions. Rates will increase significantly as we 
approach the May 7 maximum. On April 28, the radiant will be located at 22:12 
(333) -04. This area of the sky is located in northern Aquarius, three degrees 
southwest of the fourth magnitude star Gamma Aquarii. The best time to view this 
activity is just before the start of morning twilight, when the radiant lies 
highest in a dark sky. No matter your location these meteors will appear from 
the eastern sky and shoot in all 
directions. If the radiant has sufficient altitude Eta Aquariid meteors can also 
be seen shooting down toward the eastern horizon. With an entry velocity of 67 
kilometers per second, a majority of these meteors will appear to move swiftly 
with a high percentage of the bright meteors leaving persistent trains. 
Surprisingly, this shower produces very few fireballs. 

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see 
approximately six sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as 
seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near one per hour. As 
seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near nine 
per hour as seen from rural observing sites and two per hour during the evening 
hours. Locations between these two extremes would see activity between the 
listed figures. Morning rates are reduced due to moonlight. 

The table below presents a condensed version of the expected activity this week. 
Rates and positions are exact for Saturday night/Sunday morning. 

Pi Puppids (PPU) 07:20 (110) -45   Velocity - 18km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hour Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hour 

Sigma Leonids (SLE) 13:46 (207) +04   Velocity - 20km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hour Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hour 

h Virginids (HVR)  14:16 (214) -11    Velocity - 24km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hour Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hour 

Antihelion (ANT) 15:04 (226) -18   Velocity - 30km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - 1 per hour Southern Hemisphere - 2 per hour 

Lyrids (LYR) 18:13 (273) +32   Velocity - 48km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - 2 per hour Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hour 

Nu Cygnids (NCY) 20:50 (312) +42   Velocity - 42km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hour Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hour 

Eta Aquariids (ETA)   22:12 (333) -04   Velocity - 67km/sec 
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hour Southern Hemisphere - 1 per hour 

Clear Skies! 
Robert Lunsford 
International Meteor Organization