[meteorite-list] Mystery Light Seen Over England

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Fri Jan 21 13:00:07 2005
Message-ID: <200501211759.JAA13734_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.shropshirestar.com/show_article.php?aID=28540

Experts join debate on mystery light
Shropshire Star (United Kingdom)
January 21, 2005
 
Astronomical experts have joined forces with puzzled Shropshire
residents in a bid to identify the mysterious beam of light spotted in
the county's skies.

People across the county stopped in their tracks as a massive beam of
light lit up the early morning gloom on Tuesday. But no-one could
explain what caused the eerie light which disappeared three seconds later.

Now county residents and top boffins have drawn up a list of possible
explanations for the phenomenon, including an iridium flare, a burning
meteor, a bright search light, aircraft landing lights or even a UFO.

Sue Oliver, 37, of Briarwood, Brookside, Telford, saw the beam of light
at 6.40am while walking her dog at nearby Nedge Hill.

She said though she does not usually believe in "weird happenings",
after seeing the light she thought it could have been a UFO.

Montgomeryshire MP Lembit Opik, who has campaigned to raise awareness of
the risk of a meteorite or comet hitting the earth, claimed the light
was most likely to be an iridium flare, which can illuminate hundreds of
square miles and would look like a bright light.

But Kev Wildgoose, from the Shropshire Astronomical Society, disagreed
and said with 40 years of experience he did not believe it was an
astronomical sighting. "I'd be more inclined to identify it as an
aircraft, perhaps a bright search light," he said.

People in Lancashire also reported sighting something strange in the sky
on Tuesday.
Received on Fri 21 Jan 2005 12:59:57 PM PST


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