[meteorite-list] Spectacular Meteor Over Western Australia Scares Residents

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:28:22 2004
Message-ID: <200310071832.LAA23418_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/latestnewsstory.cfm?storyID=3527635

Meteor over Western Australia scares rural resident

The New Zealand Herald
October 8, 2003

A spectacular meteor streaked across the skies of southwest
Western Australia, creating a sonic boom as it broke the sound
barrier and startling many rural residents.

The meteor vaporised near Dowerin, 157km north-east of Perth,
yesterday.

Perth Observatory astronomer Peter Birch said the meteor was
brighter than a full moon as it broke the sound barrier.

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http://www.sundaytimes.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,7034,7489641%255E2761,00.html

Meteor over WA causes sonic boom
By Selina Day
The Sunday Times (Australia)
October 7, 2003

A SPECTACULAR meteor streaked across the skies of south-west Western
Australia overnight, creating a sonic boom as it broke the sound barrier
and startling many country residents.

The meteor vaporised near the Wheatbelt town of Dowerin, 157km north-east
of Perth, about midnight.

It was seen by scores of people between Perth and Bunbury in the south to
Geraldton in the north and Dowerin in the east.

Perth Observatory astronomer Peter Birch said the meteor was brighter than a
full moon as it broke the sound barrier and woke Dowerin residents.

It is rare for a meteor to create a sonic boom. One was heard over southern
WA on May 1, 1995, and there had been one between then and last night, Mr
Birch said.

He said it was probably one of the most spectacular recent meteor events and
more than 50 people had called the observatory to report it.

The random meteor had travelled from west to east, rather than the more-usual
east-west trajectory.

"It was probably about 40km above the earth's surface," Mr Birch said.

"More people heard it than saw it, but there were quite a few people who saw it,
including truckies, so I have no doubt about what it was.

"It's just a meteor that has vaporised in the atmosphere."
Received on Tue 07 Oct 2003 02:32:28 PM PDT