[meteorite-list] South Australia Flashed By Meteor

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:08:22 2004
Message-ID: <200209062005.NAA17820_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.theage.com.au/breaking/2002/09/06/FFXWRSZZQ5D.html

South Australia flashed by meteorite
The Age (Australia)
September 6, 2002

A bright flash and sonic booms in the skies over South Australia's
Fleurieu Peninsula last night were thought to be from a meteor
breaking up.

Residents at Goolwa and Victor Harbor, south of Adelaide, reported
the bright blue flash across the sky about 6 pm (CST).

Witnesses said the flash of light was followed by a smoke trail and
two sonic booms which shook the ground.

Experts said it was unusual for meteor this large, possibly
as big as a boulder, to be seen over populated areas with most breaking
up in the outer atmosphere.

But they said it also was possible the incident was the result of
space junk re-entering the atmosphere.

The director of the space telescope at Coonabarabran in NSW, Bryan
Boyle, told the ABC that eyewitness accounts suggested a meteor which
probably came within 30km of the ground.

But Colin Norris, director of Australian International UFO Research,
said it was more likely to be space debris because of its colour and
trajectory.

Astronomers were expected to begin a more detailed investigation
today including a possible search for anything that might have hit
the ground.
Received on Fri 06 Sep 2002 04:05:47 PM PDT