[meteorite-list] Bright Flashes Seen In California Sky

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:29:51 2004
Message-ID: <200309051555.IAA14755_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Lights In California Sky Apparently Asteroid Burning In Atmosphere
Associated Press
September 5, 2003

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Bright flashes in the California sky Thursday evening
were likely a small asteroid or debris from space burning up in the
Earth's atmosphere, authorities said.

A dispatcher with the state Office of Emergency Services said nothing
hit the ground but the clear sky over parts of the state made for a
spectacular light show.

Bluish white lights reportedly moving west to northeast were seen at
about 8:20 p.m. in Palm Springs and as far north as Napa and Amador
counties, according to witnesses and the OES.

A brief North American Aerospace Defense Command investigation concluded
that the lights were a small asteroid or space debris, according to OES.
Vandenberg Air Force Base reported it had not tested missiles or made
any other launch Thursday night.

Ginger Jeffries, a weathercaster at KESQ-TV in Palm Springs, called the
light "extremely bright."

"I was looking at it and going 'Mars isn't over there, what is that?"'

"We had dust storms overhead, you couldn't see much at all in the sky,"
she said. "But this was as clear and bright as anything."
Received on Fri 05 Sep 2003 11:55:10 AM PDT