[meteorite-list] Strange, Bright Light Seen in Texas Sky

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Aug 2 12:58:23 2006
Message-ID: <200608021655.JAA22044_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/healthsciencetv/stories/wfaa060802_wz_meteors.ce11d3.html

Meteors light up North Texas sky
WFAA.com (Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas)
August 2, 2006

The Channel 8 switchboard was bombarded with calls overnight from
viewers who said they saw a strange, bright light in the North Texas
sky after 11 p.m. Tuesday.

Callers described it as a bright orange oval with a blue lightning
coming from it.

"I was out moving my trash cans and noted a flash in the sky similar
to someone taking my picture with a flash camera," said John Harwood
of Plano.

"Around 11:04 p.m. there was a large blue streak that lit up a portion
of the dark sky," said Tom Wilson from Colleyville. "I had never seen
anything like it before, but I soon came to realize that I had just
witnessed my first meteorite sighting. It was beautiful."

Fort Worth police dispatchers reported similar calls from concerned
citizens.

Air traffic controllers at Dallas Love Field confirmed that they
spotted a meteor at 11:30 p.m.

The McDonald Observatory says the Delta Aquarid meteor shower is near
its peak, and observations are helped by an early-setting moon.

Other reports of meteor sightings are appearing in online publications
in Western India.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=5230270&nav=0s3d

Strange Light In The Sky?
kxan.com
August 2, 2006

People are talking about something strange in the sky Tuesday night. All
over Central Texas, folks saw what they described as a fireball
streaking by.

The phones started ringing just after 11 p.m. Tuesday, with people as
far away as Bryan calling about the fireball. Some were concerned that a
plane had crashed, others just curious about what they saw.

It probably lasted only a few seconds, but witnesses say it was bright
enough to light up the ground. Some saw the object split into pieces.

"I saw something very large and on fire that appeared to be headed
straight for North Austin. It lit up the sky like lightning, and then it
was gone."
- Matt, North Austin

"It literally lit up the night sky and had a long and bright orange
tail. I thought
something had 'exploded' in the night sky."
- George, Buda

"It literally lit up the side of my face and the cedar trees and the
property. It looked like it was headed northwest and just split and lit
up everything."
-- Patty, Hays County

There are some 11,000 objects orbiting in space close to Earth, and it's
not unusual for space junk to orbit for years before burning up in the
atmosphere.

Some might remember part of a Delta 2 rocket booster that landed on a
Georgetown farm about 10 years ago.
Received on Wed 02 Aug 2006 12:55:17 PM PDT