[meteorite-list] Mystery of Fireball in England

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Sep 27 16:07:23 2004
Message-ID: <200409271931.MAA18231_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://new.edp24.co.uk/content/news/story.aspx?brand=EDPOnline&category=News&tBrand=edponline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED24%20Sep%202004%2016%3A07%3A12%3A190

Mystery of fireball in dawn sky
RICHARD PARR
EDP24 (England)
25 September 2004

Early morning motorists driving through Norfolk and Cambridge-shire
yesterday could hold the key to finding out more about the meteorite or
fireball sighted over the region.

Around 20 motorists driving along the area's roads from around 6.30am
reported seeing the fireball, which many described as having a bright
glow followed by a long trail of light.

They reported their findings to Graham Barnard on his Today in Norfolk
early morning programme on BBC Radio Norfolk.

Mr Barnard told the EDP that around 20 callers rang in from around
6.30am to report initially to presenter Wally Webb seeing the fireball
mainly in the sky above the west and south of the county.

"Callers had their own theories as to what it was, ranging from a
fireball, firework or, in the case of a caller from the Thetford area,
an aircraft on fire, but we quickly put listeners' minds at rest that it
wasn't an aircraft," said Mr Barnard.

Yesterday, the mystery sighting was confirmed as being a fireball or
meteorite by Mark Lawick-Thompson, chairman of the Norwich Astronomical
Society.

He said the fireball could have broken up while in the atmosphere and
the fragments might have landed but, until more detailed information
about the sightings was available, it was not possible to say if
fragments had landed.

The last reported sighting of a fireball in East Anglia was in
Peterborough in 1991.

He appealed to people who had seen the fireball to contact with their
detailed descriptions via his e-mail: astronomy4all_at_btopenworld.com

His view was shared by research scientist Vicky Pearson who said the
sighting had been reported early yesterday morning in locations mainly
in Southern England, including Oxford and Poole in Dorset, but there had
also been sightings in the Midlands.

Miss Pearson, who is based at the Planetary and Space Science Research
Institute at the Open University at Milton Keynes, said she had not
received any of the reported sightings in Norfolk and Cambridgeshire.

She said that, until more information was available, it would not be
possible to say if fragments had landed.

Miss Pearson asked people who saw it to call her on 01908 652814 during
weekday office hours.
Received on Mon 27 Sep 2004 03:31:11 PM PDT