06 November 2010

The Latest Worldwide Meteor/Meteorite News & Sightings from Readers- 6NOV2010

NASA Investigates Great Balls of Fire Over Canada - UFOs or Meteors?
Gather.com
The UFOs in the sky over Canada were likely meteors. They were probably actually part of the Taurids meteor shower, which actually come from the comet Encke ...

Meteors From Comet Hartley 2 Amaze Skywatchers
Space.com
By Tariq Malik Stunningly bright fireballs created by meteors from Comet Hartley 2 have amazed skywatchers across the United States lucky enough to spot ...

Return of the Leonids Annual Meteor Shower Arrives This Month ...
In the coming days, skywatchers will likely be hearing much about the impending return of the famous Leonid meteor shower, which graces the night skies of ...

STAR TRAK for November Jupiter and Leonid meteor shower
Jupiter will be easy to see in the south as night falls in November. The best time to observe this bright planet with a telescope will be from dusk to ...

EPOXI Visits Hartley 2 « The Transient Sky – Comets, Asteroids ...
By Carl Hergenrother
Comet News: A New Bright Comet and Rendezvous with Hartley 2 · In The Sky This Month - November 2010 · Meteor Activity Outlook for October 30-November 5, 2010 · Venus and Sirius - 2 Bright Stars in the Evening Sky · Where, ...

Return of the Leonids: Annual Meteor Shower Arrives This Month
Space.com
By Joe Rao In the coming days, skywatchers will likely be hearing much about the impending return of the famous Leonid meteor shower, which graces the night ...

Space Weather News
for Nov. 4, 2010  COMET FLYBY A BIG SUCCESS: This morning's Deep Impact (EPOXI) flyby of Comet Hartley 2 was a success.  The probe is transmitting data to Earth and, even without processing, the first raw images of the comet's core are spectacular.  Visit http://spaceweather.com/


If you saw a meteor fireball or bolide report it here: http://www.amsmeteors.org/fireball/report.html

Questions from Readers:
1) "Have there been any recent reports of a bolide meteor that would have been seen in Denver, NE Colorado, SE Wyoming and SW Nebraska around 6 pm local time (Mountain Daylight Time) on October 28th? Some sheriff departments in the region got reports of a green flash in the sky around that time." (contact info)

2) "My children and I saw something large and bright in the eastern sky this morning about 8:15-8:20 mountain standard time this morning (date not specified; I received this email at 11pm 4NOV). We live in Roy, Utah, just North of Salt lake City." (contact info)  

3) "I saw on Nov. 1st at 8:20 PM a very large, orange fireball in northeast Michigan (aka The Thumb). It was very short in duration and led me to believe something had exploded in the sky. I've always thought of meteors as quick little streaks of light so I'm not entirely sure that I in fact saw a meteor. This was such an oddity that I called the local 911 dispatch to report it (thinking something bad had happened to an aircraft). Thanks. -Patrick" (contact info)  

Please leave Comments on this post if you have information; thank you.  Please include name and contact info (I will not post your contact information)

05 November 2010

NW Coast/ Seattle Bolide Fireball 3NOV2010 5NOV2010

NW Coast/ Seattle Bolide Meteor 3NOV2010
by Mike Bandli
Fireball over Seattle @ 3:20 AM PDT:
 
“I think i just saw a meteor enter our atmosphere. Easily one of the coolest things i have seen. It was bright green with an orange trail. Kinda like a fire work. Google says it was a meteor. Either way, it was awesome.”
 
“Just saw a massive meteor fly over my house. Crazy!”
 
“Holy Meteor!!! Did anyone else just see that!!!! @ 3:20AM I was laying on my coach looking into the sky, night dreaming, and Holy Sh*t. I have seen hundreds of shooting stars, and this looked like something from a movie, super huge, super tail, WOWZERS!!!”
 
“I was just outside and saw a meteor break up in our atmosphere looking towards south auburn and muck hill. That was intense.”
 
“just saw the brightest f*cking meteor EVER. SO COOL. I DON'T EVEN CARE ABOUT THE ELECTION ANYMORE.”


Credit: Jeffrey Brower, British Columbia Meteor Network - station ABMO.  http://www.bcmeteors.net/

This video was captured by Jeffrey Brower over 300 miles away. It does not show the terminal burst as the fireball disappears under the horizon due to the distance.

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Caught On Camera: Bright Light Streaks Across Seattle Sky


Did you see the unusual light show?
KIRO 7 Eyewitness News Reporter Michelle Millman and engineer Dan Crouch both saw flaming debris streak across the sky at about 3:20 Wednesday morning.A surveillance camera at Honda of Kirkland captured the streak of light ... (more)
http://www.kirotv.com/caughtoncamera/25622457/detail.html

Meteor/Meteorite News 5NOV2010

Great balls of fire over Canada: NASA investigates
CTV.ca
Scientist Peter Brown says his meteor group at the University of Western Ontario tracked one of two fireballs while the other was tracked by NASA's ...

Smithville man almost hit by meteorite
WKRN Nashville Thu, 04 Nov 2010 16:54 PM PDT
Jimmy Duncan was nearly hit by a meteorite in August as it fell from the sky. 


The Taurid Meteor Shower and the Planet Venus
San Diego Reader (blog)
By Jerry Schad | Posted November 4, 2010, 8:58 am The Taurid Meteor Shower, featuring about 10-15 visible events per hour -- as seen under clear, ...

US skies lighten up due to meteor showers
Medical Daily
Fireballs, as the bright meteors are called, occurs when comet dust burns up in Earth's atmosphere. Helga Cabral in Seascape, California reported after 9 pm ...

Comet Hartley 2  UFO/Meteor 2NOV2010 R.I.


Posted on YouTube by foxprovidence 195 Views

04 November 2010

Meteor/Meteorite News 4NOV2010

Did Earth Encounter Pieces Of An Alien Visitor Last Night
Space Daily
NASA meteor experts had predicted it was a long shot, but the evenings of November 2nd and 3rd might display a meteor shower from dust which puffed off this ...


Hartley 2 Spawns Meteor Shower | Universe Today
The comet of the year for 2010 seems to be Hartley 2. Although this comet is receding from Earth now (its closest approach was in the latter half of ...

Arctic lake offers up climate record
UPI.com
Cored through sediment layers at the bottom of a lake in northeastern Siberia, the record shows what happened when a meteorite smashed into the planet 3.6 ...


A Clear Voice for Science
Berthoud Recorder
The radiant points for two November meteor showers – the South Taurids and North Taurids – both reside in front of the constellation Taurus the Bull. ...

 [1010.5733] Meteor showers of comet C/1917 F1 Mellish
Abstract: December Monocerotids and November Orionids are weak but established annual meteor showers active throughout November and December. ...




Jet Propulsion Laboratory  -- November 03, 2010
PASADENA, CALIF. - Mission controllers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., have relayed final instructions to their comet-bound spacecraft today, Nov. 3. The new programming will guide NASA's EPOXI mission through its close approach with comet Hartley 2, scheduled for tomorrow, Nov. 4, at about 7 a.m. PDT (10 a.m. EDT).

Dawn Journal
Dr. Marc Rayman - October 31, 2010
Continuing its journey to collect treats in the main asteroid belt, Dawn is making excellent progress toward its July 2011 rendezvous with protoplanet Vesta. The gentle thrust of its ion propulsion system is gradually changing its trajectory around the sun, smoothly helping the spacecraft move onto a path that will perfectly match Vesta's own motion. This pas de deux ...

East Coast/ MASS R.I. NH VT ME NY Meteor 2NOV2010 comments and report UPDATED 4NOV2010

East Coast MASS R.I. NH Bolide Meteor Fireball 2NOV2010 comments and report
UPDATED 4NOV2010  updated post here

  Thank you to all of the kind persons that took their time to write about their observations and comments of the New England/ East Coast MASS, RI, NH bolide event of Nov. 2.  Videos, cellphone captures and  still images are sorely needed and time is critical to determine if a meteorite survived from the event and where it may have landed.  Please put out the word for people to check for videos of the event in communities were the event was witnessed.  News persons please put out the word on weather broadcasts and TV programs.  Most video from security systems will be recycled or lost within 5-7 days.  Get to work!
Anyone with a fresh new hole in their roof from a meteorite?  Black burnt looking out-of-place rocks?  Please contact your local news station weatherman.
Thank YOU!!  LunarMeteorite*Hunter...Tokyo
email address  drtanuki@gmail.com

03 November 2010

Meteor/Meteorite News 3NOV2010

Russia to upgrade Soyuz spaceship
Xinhua
"Upgraded solar batteries will be installed on the Soyuz starting from November 2011, an additional meteor shield from March 2012 and the new Russian ...


 
     
Cometary Poison Gas Geyser Heralds Surprises
NASA Science News
Nov. 2, 2010:  As NASA's Deep Impact (EPOXI) probe approaches Comet Hartley 2 for a close encounter on Nov. 4th, mission scientists are certain ...

Arctic Lake Yields Climate Record
US News & World Report Tue, 02 Nov 2010 11:29 AM PDT
Siberian drilling also penetrates meteorite crater...

East Coast USA Meteor Sightings Summary Breaking News 3NOV2010

El Paso TX All Sky Meteor Detection Camera Blog Site: BREAKING ...
2 Nov 2010 ... BREAKING METEOR NEWS...Bolide Seen Over NE Coastline ... www.lunarmeteoritehunters.blogspot.com reporting a very bright meteor event along the U.S. east coast from Rhode Island to ...
elpasoallsky.blogspot.com/.../breaking-meteor-newsbolide-seen-over-ne.html - 33 minutes ago

Perth "Meteor" 30OCT2010 was Russian??? Australia Meteor/Meteorite News 3NOV2010

Mystery 'falling star' was Soyuz rocket body plunging to Earth

PerthNow - 4 minutes ago
... Saturday morning when he was in the Morley area looking east or south-east. ... which tended to discount the theory that it was a meteor falling to Earth. ... (photos and story)   METEORITE!!!

Quebec City Bolide- Canada Meteor News 2NOV2010 3NOV2010

Quebec City Bolide- Canada Meteor News 2NOV2010
There are reports tonight of a bright bolide moving west to east and lasting from 4 to 6 seconds passing over Quebec City. Reports also say it was breaking up as it passed through around 19:15 pm. local time.

Chris Spratt
Victoria, BC

East Coast USA Meteor Sightings 2NOV2010 from Readers JUST IN!!! 3NOV2010

 East Coast USA Meteor Sightings 2NOV2010
by LunarMeteorite*Hunter (c) 2010 All Rights Reserved
Tokyo, Japan posted from reader/observers within 10 minutes of event at about 7:20pm EDT .

Anyone with video, still photos or cell phone captures please contact me.  Readers, emergency responders, police, or media persons reading this please try to acquire video; this is critical for locating any potential meteorites from this event.
AMS Fireball Report Form, Have you seen an extremely bright meteor? Share your sighting with others across the globe by filling out our fireball report form.

2NOV2010
"Driving home from work this evening, around 7:20 pm ; Initially I thought it was the vapor trial from a jet as it caught my attention (we live south of Logan Airport) Then I could see it looked like a ball of fire with a comet-like tail behind it, but was moving much slower and was much bigger than a shooting star. I was worried that it might be a jet on fire and crashing because I could see it breaking up and a shower of debris behind it and it was coming in at an angle like a jet. It was traveling South-East to North-West - and I was in North Quincy MA heading east at the time. Very strange; I've never seen anything like it." -- Amy B., Quincy, MA (contact info)

2NOV2010
"I just saw the biggest meteor I have ever seen in my life tonight.  It was around 7:15 pm and I was in East Weymouth.  At first it appeared to be a low flying plane on fire but it was actually a large white ball with a long tail behind it.  It went from West to East.  It appeared to be heading towards Boston from the South Shore and was traveling horizontally across the sky.  It lasted about 3-4 seconds and eventually exploded with red pieces falling towards the Earth.  It would seem that somewhere in North Weymouth, MA or Hingham, MA there may be pieces of a meteor lying on the ground!" -- SJDoran (contact info) 

2NOV2010
"Got out with the wife in Belmont, MA to vote, and we saw a very slow moving bright light going from what looked to be SE to NW, or maybe E to W.  This was between 7:15 and 7:20.  We both got out of the car, gasping at the sky, and as someone who has seen plenty of shooting stars and fast moving objects, this was moving far slower than anything I'd ever seen.  It also looked much lower, and appeared to have several different "jets" of light coming off it, so I guessed that it may have been breaking up.  We lost it through the trees, as we were both trying desperately to get our cell phone cameras out... but alas, even though it was slow, we were even slower."
-- Brian S., Belmont MA  (contact info)

2NOV2010
 "THANK YOU!!! I saw a very large "ball of fire" with an even longer tail behind it - going from East to West over Hampstead, NH at 7:18PM tonight. It only lasted a couple of seconds, but it was really bright - and then it was gone. I asked friends, but nobody else had seen it - so I started searching online ... and here it is" !  -- Elaine

2NOV2010
"I just saw a very large Meteorite shoot across the sky here in Massachusetts, it was traveling east to west, seemed to be very low to the ground and was breaking up into pieces as it traveled across the sky, It had a very long trail of “flames” and as the pieces broke off they also had trails behind them. I have seen many smaller Meteorites while fishing at night on cape cod but nothing as large and low to the ground like this."  -- Scott M.  (contact info)

2NOV2010
"I just saw a fireball at approximately 7:30pm from Warwick, RI. It was travelling from east to west and lasted about two seconds.  At first I thought it was a plane (we are close to the airport), but then noticed it had the distinctive round mass of a fireball.  It was bluish green and so amazing.  I used to teach astronomy so it was especially exciting for me.  My husband was surprised but not nearly as excited as me!" -- Alicia (contact info)

2NOV2010
"I also observed this event while using my telescope last night viewing Andromeda.  About 4-5 degrees off of the horizon beginning in the east and transiting out of view to the north.  Bright white in appearance, with fragments falling off.  I didn't witness the beginning or end of the event but the time frame reported by others sounds accurate.  I began viewing Jupiter around 7pm and was just moving on to Nebula when I witnessed the event.  Reminded me of the video of the shuttle break-up a few years ago.  I thought it might be a satellite re-entering."
.....Mike in Hudson, NH (contact info)


2NOV2010
"Harvey Leonard (highly respected Boston MA area meteorologist) said that this might be the end of the Orionids or the beginning of the Leonids.   I probably saw the same show that others report below. In Gloucester/Rockport MA at 7:15 p.m., with a very clear dark sky, we saw a very bright, very low fireball (but colored green, no red – is this weird?) with a wide, long tail of white sparklers moving from southeast to northwest. It appeared to be breaking up quickly"
-- Jane Seigel (Contact info)

2NOV2010
"
DATE:  02 NOV, 2010 @ 19h 17m EDT
PLACE: Elizabeth Brown Elementary School, 29 Gardners Neck Rd. Swansea, MA, USA
SKY: Cloudless; chilly
SIGHTING DETAILS: Initially  about 0 degrees azi. @ about 15 degrees alt.
                                   Finally about 10 degrees azi @ about  10 degrees alt.
                                   Duration about 3~4 sec.
                                   General   Bright, details visible in the tail, straight track sloping down t the left; passing over the three arc-stars in handle of Big Dipper" -- LON CARACAPPA (contact info)

2NOV2010
"I was at Shaws in Salem, NH last night around 7:30 when I saw something in the sky.  At first I thought it was a plane on fire.  Then I thought it was silent fireworks but it was going horizontal.  I was in such awe not knowing what I saw that I didn't even think to take a picture with my phone.  I was traveling so slow.  It was a very sureal moment and I wonder if I will ever see another one in my lifetime. I would love to see a video if anyone else captured activity last night." -- Maryellen (contact info)

2NOV2010
"We saw a spectacular fire ball coming from the east south east passing between Cassiopeia and Perseus in Cumberland, Maine, about 7:30p on November 2nd.  It seemed to last for about 4 to 5 seconds, was slow moving, yellowish wide streak turning reddish as it broke into several pieces just at its end.  Definitely a life time best for me." -- Bill Rixon of Freeport, Miane (contact info)

2NOV2010
"I also saw this one and filed a report with amsmeteors.org -- though it
hasn't shown up yet.-- 1917 EDT, Westford, northest to north travel. Very slow -- maybe 3
degrees per second. Exploded into fragments at the end. Significant
trail (maybe 5 degrees)" Philip (contact info)

2NOV2010
"In Stoneham I saw a large white object with a rounded front end and a tail at about 7:20 last night.  It appeared to have scattered objects trailing behind it but everything was white (no red).  It went from east to west with a slight turn to the south.  It streaked right over my neighbors house and seemed so low I thought it might touch the roof.  It appeared to be very large so I immediately ruled-out a shooting star.  I thought it might be a plane but the shape was so perfectly round in the front and there was such a perfect tail behind that I thought it could only be celestial. By the time I ran to the back yard it was not in sight.
Thank you for your blog.  I have an understanding of what I saw in Stoneham, Mass on Nov. 2"
Marilyn M (contact info)

2NOV2010
"
On the way home at 7:19pm this evening I saw what I thought was an awfully low-flying airplane. It's flight path was parallel to snow hill rd between kelton rd and the gardner farm.
 (MOVING SLOWLY EAST TO WEST)   as it came over my windshield it began to split into a (long) trail of large shooting stars....the car behind saw it too-did you?

I was rushing, so long trail of shooting stars does not describe it well.  Someone else's description of "breaking up describes it better - a big chunk leading the way and smaller pieces, trailing.  It moved at the speed of a jet flying low, but went out when it was just past overhead - long before reaching the horizon..."  Jennifer (contact info)





2NOV2010
"I observed a the most dramatic fireball of my life for about 4 sec transiting my NE-facing window (~16 miles NW of Boston) about 3-4 degrees above the horizon, it was yellow with a sizable fireball and relatively short tail, shedding pieces. I was a private pilot, and know the flight pattern of the nearby airport well, so I can say that this was comparable in apparent size to a Cessna 150-series at ~2000 ft, 1 miles out. In actual size, I believe the technical term would be "humongous"""I forgot to note: my sighting was just before 7:20 EDT."  -- Anonymous - sign of the times? (no contact info)

2NOV2010
"On the night of Nov. 2, 2010, my boyfriend and his cousin witnessed this super fast (approx. 800 mph) fireball with a burning glow to it as it sped over them, kinda close....after reading about Hartley's Comet 2, I think it had to be that....he was so excited about it, he called the police right away and they confirmed it with the FAA that 10 other people saw it too.  They were heading up north on rt. 22 in Amenia, NY near Renneys at around 7:15pm....I was excited too for them and only wished I was there also experiencing it for myself.....my boyfriend is very cosmic...seems that he has witnessed extraordinary objects/sightings/UFOs since living up in Amenia.  We both witnessed UFOs on the night of July 3 and July 5, 2010 also in Amenia, NY. We are DEFINITELY NOT ALONE."  -- Blackwhiskers(contact info)

Other Reported Meteor Event: 31OCT2010
"We were driving home from Maine on October 31, around 8:45 pm or so, when I saw a large yellow streak falling in the Southwest sky.  It was much larger, brighter and much longer lasting than a shooting star.  It seemed to go down over the trees.  I think we were in the area near Danvers, MA but  I'm not sure.  My sister saw the tail end of it when I pointed it out.  Have you heard of anyone else seeing this?  What might it be besides a meteor?  Could it be a bit of a satellite or space junk? " Martha S. (contact info)

Dear Readers,  IF YOU HAVE ANY INFO, PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS!
  Very Important: Please include location, event, date, time and contact information; your contact info will not be posted or shared without your permission.

New Mexico Rip-Roaring Fireball 2NOV2010 3NOV2010

Rip-roaring fireball - Nov 2, 2010 - New Mexico

Wednesday, November 3, 2010 1:09 AM
by Thomas Ashcraft
I did not see any  "Hartley-ids" in my all-sky fireball captures this morning. At least no fireball-sized ones.
  But I did capture a rip-roaring sporadic fireball. I made a movie of the meteor with its strong dopplering head echo in stereo at 61.250 MHz and 83.250 MHz. The full radio reflection reflection lasted about a minute. This movie is only 8 seconds or so, head echo only
1 MB
http://www.heliotown.com/FBshe20101102_1226ut_Ashcraft.mp4

Thomas   |   Heliotown  |  New Mexico
Thomas Ashcraft
www.heliotown.com

El Paso, Texas Meteor Event 2NOV2010 3NOV2010

Latest El Paso Meteor Event Nov. 02/2010 08:50:29 UTC
report by Jim Gamble  El Paso AllSky Camera Network
Bright meteor captured by the El Paso, TX allsky camera at 08:50:29 UTC (01:50:29 MDT) on November 2, 2010.
El Paso, Texas Meteor Event 2NOV2010(c) Jim Gamble El Paso AllSKY Camera Network 2010
See full report with video:
http://elpasoallsky.blogspot.com/2010/11/meteor-newslatest-el-paso-meteor-event_5779.html

Meteor/Meteorite News 3NOV2010

 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Meteor? ~8:00P.M. Central Time, 1Nov2010
A reader from Canada writes to ask, "Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Around 8:00P.M. Central Time, November 1, 2010, My wife and I saw a bright light travel across the night sky. It was a steady path, very large and gets smaller as it went past the Big Dipper, southwest to northeast and it disappeared; did anyone else see this?."
  Anyone with information please use the comment form at the bottom of this post; thank you.

Arctic Lake Yields Planet's Most Continuous Record of Ancient Climate
Wired News (blog)
At the time the kilometer-wide meteorite hit, temperatures were probably 10 to 14 degrees Celsius warmer than today, Brigham-Grette said. ...

NASA's Comet Mission May Face Multiple Jets Nov. 4
Jet Propulsion Laboratory- November 01, 2010
Two movies derived from images taken by the two cameras aboard NASA's
EPOXI mission spacecraft show comet Hartley 2 is, as expected, quite
active, and it provides information on the nucleus's rotation. The
spacecraft has been imaging Hartley 2 almost daily since Sept. 5, in
preparation for its scheduled Nov. 4 flyby of the comet. ...

PAGASA: Meteor shower treat awaits stargazers this November
GMANews.TV
Barring cyclones and cloudy skies, stargazers will be treated to a meteor shower display this November, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and ...

Craig Murray - Meteors or Meteorites over Kent
By craig
I have just seen the most beautiful sight. A meteor of the deepest red, a distinct flare with a tail, came over in a great arc, moving very slowly and slightly wobbly, and gradually dwindling away to nothing. Just as...

Memorial Songs for the Meteorite Hunter
5 min video- a bit odd
Ethan Murrow 2010
youtube.com

02 November 2010

Not Canadian Geese- Wipe Off Your Lens 3NOV2010

Canadian Goose is a Swan- Hartley 2
Comet Hartley 2- Droppings from Cygnus the Swan 
(photo source: Wikipedia ca.1825, England)
"BE ALERT FOR 'HARTLEY-ID' METEORS:
  If Comet Hartley 2 is going to produce a meteor shower, tonight is the night.
  According to experts, there is a slim chance that dust from the comet could hit Earth's atmosphere on Nov. 2nd and 3rd, producing a slow flurry of meteors streaming from the constellation Cygnus. If you're out after sunset,
Clear skies
-----------
Michael Boschat
Halifax Center- Royal Astronomical Society of Canada"
web page: http://www.chebucto.ns.ca/~aa063

Meteor/Meteorite News 2NOV2010

 Comet Hartley 2 Could Deliver Bonus Meteor Shower Yahoo News
The icy Comet Hartley 2 put on an interesting show during an unusually close pass by Earth last month and is poised to be visited by a NASA space probe on ...

NASA TO HOST LIVE EVENTS FOR NOVEMBER 4 COMET ENCOUNTER
WASHINGTON -- NASA will hold a series of media and educational events
about the EPOXI mission's close encounter with comet Hartley 2 at
approximately 7 a.m. PDT on Thursday, Nov. 4. The spacecraft will
provide the most extensive observations of a comet in history....

SPACEcom Comet Hartley 2 Could DeliverBonus Meteor Shower
The Comet Hartley 2 may give birth to a new meteor shower this week, but it may not. Any meteors from Comet Hartley 2 would likely be best seen from Nov. ...

New address for MetBull Database 
The Meteoritical Bulletin Database has moved to a permanent home at LPI.  For now, you will be redirected there from the old address.  The new address is:
http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meteor/metbull.php


Slice of Scifi Special: Geoff Notkin of Meteorite Men (video) 21 min
A special interview with Geoff Notkin of Meteorite Men


Silica on a Mars Volcano Tells of Wet and Cozy Past
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
October 31, 2010
PASADENA, Calif. -- Light-colored mounds of a mineral deposited on a
volcanic cone more than three billion years ago may preserve evidence of
one of the most recent habitable microenvironments on Mars. ...

01 November 2010

Italy 29OCT2010 9.8 Second Fireball 1NOV2010

Italian Fireball 29OCT2010  (c) Ferruccio Zanotti 2010

Fireball SPO mag.  -5.30 ± 0.30  from Ferrara ( Italy )
Time of transit 9.84s
Video station: *IMTN-Ferrara1-SE- ( C ) F. Zanotti*
Observer: Ferruccio Zanotti
Location: Ferrara 44.8181 N; 11.6167 E; alt. 9 m s.l.m.
Direction: az: 139 ° ev:47°
Camera: Mintron MTV-12V6H-EX integration 2x ( 1/25s ) 
Computer Lens 2.6mm F/1.0 FOV: 122.8° * 97.1° ( diagonal: 148° )

for image and video:
http://meteore.forumattivo.com/bolidi-e-superbolidi-riprese-video-f30/fireball-20101029_01527-1-ut-t1403.htm#5906

Ferruccio Zanotti
Italian Meteor and TLE Network
http://meteore.forumattivo.com/forum.htm



El Paso Meteor 31OCT2010 1NOV2010

El Paso Meteor 31OCT2010
  Jim Gamble, operator of the El Paso All Sky Camera, reports that his system captured a meteor at 09:50:10 UTC (04:50:12 MDT) over El Paso, Tx.. ...(original report and photo)

Southern Iowa MeteorFireball 30OCT2010 1NOV2010

Fireball Meteor over southern Iowa

KCCI Ch. 8 TV, Des Moines, Iowa-
A fireball was recorded by a sky camera operated by Mr. Tim Cline of Lucas County, Iowa at 12:30am 30OCT2010. ... (photo of fireball)
Video of  30OCT2010 Southern Iowa fireball event

31 October 2010

Meteor/Meteorite News 31OCT2010

Moments in Time
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
On November 12, 1799, Andrew Ellicott Douglass, an early American astronomer born in Vermont, witnesses the Leonids meteor shower from a ship off the Florida Keys. ...

What's up in November: Venus, meteor showers are stars of this month's show
Press Herald
The two meteor showers this month are the Taurids, which peak on Nov. 12, but will last throughout the first half of this month, and the Leonids, ...

Scientists Have Discovered 62 Previously Unknown Meteor Showers ...
Our planet is regularly exposed to meteor showers, which are in the review of the night sky we call shooting stars. ...
NASA Professional Development Workshops
FOX 24 Macon Sat, 30 Oct 2010 15:29 PM PDT
A meteorite simulation, a do it yourself planetarium, and a cloud in a bottle. These are just a few of the hands on projects Georgian teachers are tackling Saturday at the Educator Resource Center. Professional development workshops being held at the museum of aviation in Warner Robins allow teachers to take a step outside the box, and learn creative teaching tools.  ...

30 October 2010

Meteor/Meteorite News 30OCT2010

 Researcher: Proof Of Alien Life
KJCT8.com
Steven Curry, a meteorite researcher who lives southeast of Montrose, claims to have found the first lunar meteorites in North America. ... *lunartick!!!



NASA releases new photos of Mars, finding evidence of water (2)
People's Daily Fri, 29 Oct 2010 05:11 AM PDT
NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity used its panoramic camera to capture this view of a dark rock that may be an iron meteorite on the surface of Mars, with part of the rim of Endurance Crater on the horizon in this image released by NASA October 28, 2010. The rock, about 45 centimeters (18 inches) wide from this angle, was about 31 meters (102 feet) away from Opportunity when the rover ...


A Comet that Gives Twice?
Universe Today
A green and red Orionid meteor striking the sky below Milky Way and to the right of Venus. Zodiacal light is also seen at the image The trail appears ...

Photomicrographs of meteorites make nice art!
Astronomy Magazine (blog)
It's a “plug and play” device, and within minutes of opening the box, I was capturing images of meteorites in my collection with my Mac's Photo Booth ...

Starwatch: November repeat would be keen
Lake County News Chronicle
Let's hope this November is as clear and beautiful as last year's, especially when the annual Leonid meteor shower comes around. Let's hope this November is ...

Researchers Discover 2nd Largest Impact Crater in Australia
Universe Today Thu, 28 Oct 2010 09:40 AM PDT
Geothermal energy researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia have identified what may be the second largest meteorite impact crater in Australia. Dr. Tonguç Uysal of the University of Queensland and Dr. Andrew Glikson of Australian National University identified rock structures that appear to have formed because of the shock of a meteorite impact. [...]  (Cooper Basin Impact Structure, Australia)




Meteor Activity Outlook for October 30-November 5, 2010
by
As seen from the northern hemisphere, meteor rates continue to be strong in November. While no major activity is expected this month, the two Taurid radiants plus the Leonids keep the skies active. The addition of strong sporadic rates make November one of the better months to view meteor activity from north of the equator. Skies are fairly quiet as seen from the southern hemisphere this month. Activity from the three showers mentioned above may be seen from south of the equator, but the sporadic rates are much lower than those seen in the northern hemisphere.

During this period the moon wanes from its last quarter phase to nearly new at the end of the period. This weekend the half illuminated last quarter moon will rise near 0100 LDT (Local Daylight Time) and will remain in the sky the remainder of the night. While the moon at this phase is still bright, it is nowhere as bright as the full moon encountered the previous week. Successful meteor observations can be undertaken by simply keeping the moon far from your field of view. The observing situation improves further as the week progresses as the moon wanes and rises later and later during the morning hours. The estimated total hourly rates for evening observers this week is near six from the northern hemisphere and three for observers south of the equator. For morning observers the estimated total hourly rates should be near twenty from the northern hemisphere and twelve as seen from the southern hemisphere. 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 this week due to lunar interference.

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 October 30/31. 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 center of the large Northern Taurid (NTA) radiant lies at 03:12 (048) +21. This area of the sky is located in eastern Aries, ten degrees southwest of the famous naked eye open cluster known as the Pleiades. The radiant is best placed near 0200 local daylight time (LDT), when it lies highest above the horizon. This shower peaks on November 13, so rates are slowly increasing. Current rates would be near two per hour, no matter your location. Meteors from the Northern Taurids strike the atmosphere at 29km/sec., which would produce meteors of slow velocity. This shower is also responsible for many of the fireball reports seen in November.

The center of the large Southern Taurid (STA) radiant lies at 03:16 (049) +12. This area of the sky is located in eastern Aries, fifteen degrees southwest of the Pleiades. The radiant is also best placed near the meridian near 0200 LDT. We are now well past the October 10 maximum for this shower but rates will still remain near two per hour, no matter your location. Striking the atmosphere at 29 km/sec., the average Southern Taurid meteor travels slowly through the skies. This shower is also responsible for many of the fireball reports seen in October.

Studies of the IMO video database by Sirko Molau and Juergen Rendtel has revealed a radiant located in Taurus this time of year. The Eta Taurids (ETT) are active from October 25 through November 3, with maximum occurring on October 25th. The current radiant position lies at 04:04 (061) +24, which lies in western Taurus, three degrees east of the Pleiades star cluster. The radiant is best placed near 0300 LDT, when it lies highest above the horizon. Meteors from the Eta Taurids strike the atmosphere at 47km/sec., which would produce meteors of average velocity. Expected rates would be less than one per hour, no matter your location.

The Orionids (ORI) reached maximum activity on October 22nd. Some activity may still be seen during the morning hours from a radiant located at 06:48 (102) +16. This position lies in southwestern Gemini, close to the second magnitude star Alhena (Gamma Geminorum). The radiant is best placed on the meridian near 0500 LDT. Current rates should be near three per hour no matter your location. At 67km/sec., the average Orionid is swift.

Another shower derived from the IMO video database is the Beta Cancrids (BCN). This shower is active from October 25-November 3 with a peak on the 27th. This shower has been known from visual observations for some time. Video analysis have confirmed the activity but from a slightly different portion of the sky. The radiant was suspected to be active from the Cancer/Gemini border when in fact the position actually lies in the constellation of Monoceros, to the south. The radiant is located at 07:32 (113) -10, which is fifteen degrees south of the brilliant zero magnitude star Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris). The radiant is best placed during the last dark hour before dawn when it lies highest above the horizon in a dark sky. Rates should less than one per hour. With an entry velocity of 65 km/sec., most activity from this radiant would be swift.

As seen from the mid-northern hemisphere (45N) one would expect to see approximately twelve sporadic meteors per hour during the last hour before dawn as seen from rural observing sites. Evening rates would be near four per hour. As seen from the mid-southern hemisphere (45S), morning rates would be near four 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.

Northern Taurids (NTA) - 02:28 (037) +18   Velocity - 29km/sec.
Northern Hemisphere - 1 per hr.   Southern Hemisphere - 1 per hr.
Southern Taurids (STA) - 01:20 (020) +06   Velocity - 29km/sec.
Northern Hemisphere - 2 per hr.   Southern Hemisphere - 2 per hr.
Eta Taurids (ETT) - 04:04 (061) +24   Velocity - 47km/sec.
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hr.   Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hr.
Orionids (ORI) - 06:08 (092) +16   Velocity - 67km/sec.
Northern Hemisphere - 3 per hr.   Southern Hemisphere - 3 per hr.
Beta Cancrids (BCN) - 07:32 (113) -10   Velocity - 65km/sec.
Northern Hemisphere - <1 per hr.   Southern Hemisphere - <1 per hr.

Clear Skies!
Robert Lunsford
International Meteor Organization