[meteorite-list] Fireballs Light Up The Sky Over Canada

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:32:53 2004
Message-ID: <200403251750.JAA01607_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/WinnipegSun/News/2004/03/25/394623.html

Fireballs light up the sky
Space experts bombarded by calls
By TAMMY MARLOWE
The Winipeg Sun
March 25, 2004

Space experts have been bombarded with calls in the last few
days as pieces of debris continue to streak through the night sky.
"There have been huge numbers of reports. We've pretty much
dropped everything to answer inquiries and take reports and
stuff," said Planetarium manager Scott Young.

'IT WAS SO LARGE'

St. Vital resident Katrina Ashton said she was sitting at her desk
about 6 a.m. yesterday when she saw "a perfectly round
basketball made out of fire" shoot by.

"I wasn't still half-asleep or drinking or anything," Ashton said
with a laugh. "It's hard to tell how far it was, it was so large. I
was thinking, 'Am I still asleep and dreaming?' "

Young said Ashton likely saw a small portion of one of two bigger
meteors that rocketed into the atmosphere on the weekend.

Hundreds of southern Manitobans awed by the sight of a meteor
or fireball on Sunday started calling Environment Canada, the
University of Manitoba and various RCMP detachments.

A second fireball was spotted by residents in western Canada and
Montana state.

The calls continued yesterday as Winnipeggers like Ashton
witnessed more debris flying toward Earth.

"The pieces are sort of trickling into the Earth over the last few
days," he said.

Meteors are small pieces of rock -- some as tiny as a speck of
dust -- which burn brightly when they enter Earth's atmosphere.

Young said April is traditionally the time for fireballs, but for some
reason they are appearing earlier than normal this year.

"There's certainly the possibility of more of these fireballs over
the days and weeks," said Young, adding sky-watchers looking
for meteors may also want to check out a heavenly alignment of
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter.
Received on Thu 25 Mar 2004 12:50:02 PM PST