[meteorite-list] Daytime Meteor Shower Seen In Illinois

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:04:48 2004
Message-ID: <200205120434.VAA25996_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.sj-r.com/news/Friday/f.htm

Daytime meteor shower strikes county

No reports of damage from rare event

By JAYETTE BOLINSKI
The State Journal-Register (Springfield, Illinois)
May 10, 2002

Sangamon County authorities received more than a dozen calls Thursday
afternoon of brilliant, firelike streaks in the eastern sky - a daytime
meteor shower that is rare but not unheard of, according to a local
astronomer.

"It's certainly possible to see a meteor during the day if it's large enough
or bright enough," said Charles Schweighauser, professor of astronomy and
physics at the University of Illinois at Springfield.

"I have seen one during the day, in the evening, years ago. It's not
terribly common, but certainly it's not impossible."

Reports of the meteors flooded the 911 dispatcher's office about 4:15 p.m.
The calls came primarily from residents of Springfield's east side and
eastern Sangamon County, according to Springfield police Sgt. Kevin Keen.

"At first they thought it was a joke until more and more calls began coming
in," he said. "We're keeping our eye out for anything. None have been
confirmed yet."

A spokesman for the Sangamon County Sheriff's Office said there were no
reports of damage from the falling space dust.

Commonly referred to as shooting stars, meteors are tiny particles that
orbit the sun and typically are no larger than a grain of sand.

The particles are called meteoroids once they enter the Earth's atmosphere.
They become visible, rarely for more than a few seconds, because friction
between the particle and air molecules creates a blue or white glow.

Jayette Bolinski can be reached at 788-1530 or jayette.bolinski_at_sj-r.com.
Received on Sun 12 May 2002 12:34:25 AM PDT