[meteorite-list] Fireball Observed Over Spain

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 9 Sep 2014 16:31:11 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201409092331.s89NVBMG022121_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://rt.com/news/185992-fireball-spain-sky-meteor/

Great balls of fire: Meteor illuminates Spanish skyline (VIDEO)
rt.com
Published time: September 08, 2014 16:18
Edited time: September 09, 2014 07:01

Early risers got an unexpected treat on Sunday in Spain, as a fireball
whistled across the country - lighting up the morning sky. It passed through
eight regions, traveling the length of the country, leaving a trail of
smoke in its wake.

The Spanish Meteor Network confirmed the fireball had passed over the
country; however, they did not know where it had originated, the Local
reported.

It was also visible over Barcelona; however, not everyone would have managed
to catch a glimpse as it passed over at 6.55am.

Just under a year and a half ago, another fireball streaked across the
Spanish capital Madrid. The celestial display was so bright it could be
seen across the entire country.

The eye-popping moment was caught on camera by the Hita Observatory at
the University of Huelva at around 11:45pm local time (21:45 GMT). The
object struck the atmosphere above the Villamuelas district in the province
of Toledo, southwest of Madrid.

Fireballs are caused by meteors burning up as they enter Earth's atmosphere.
They travel at incredibly high speeds, up to 73km per second. Fireballs
tend to be brighter than meteors, while especially bright fireballs such
as the one over Spain on Sunday are often called bolides.

In February 2013, Russia's Urals region was rocked by a meteorite explosion
in the stratosphere. The impact wave damaged several buildings, while
1,200 people in Chelyabinsk had to seek medical attention.

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

http://www.ibtimes.co.in/mass-ufo-scare-burning-meteorite-hits-spanish-skies-608700

Mass UFO Scare as Burning Meteorite Hits Spanish Skies
By Minnie Nair
International Business Times
September 9, 2014

Panic and fear spread among residents and holiday makers in Barcelona
when a burning meteorite was mistaken for a UFO.

According to a report in Standard Media, hundreds of residents called
up emergency services, while social media sites were abuzz with pictures
and panicky messages after a meteorite lit up the Spanish skies with a
trail of fire. While many mistook the meteorite for an alien intervention,
some others thought it was a burning plane.

The moments replicated the fall of a meteorite in Russia last year. In
that incident, the burning meteorite had created moments of fear and confusion
as it exploded with a loud bang, which created vibrations that left a
few buildings damaged. The meteor crashed on Russia's Ural Mountains,
injuring at least 950 people, leaving them with cuts and bruises.

The places which reported the sighting are: Barcelona, Aragan, Castilla-La
Manch, Castilla y Lean, Valencia, AndalucAa and Extremadura. The meteorite
was also recorded by the Spanish Meteorological Agency (Aemet).

"We think the meteorite may have flown over more areas of the country
including Aragon, however, because it was pretty cloudy there we believe
it may have been widely missed, and was only spotted when it emerged over
a clear area that included Barcelona," the report quoted Spanish astrophysicist
Jose Maria Trigo as saying.

"But nevertheless, it has been made easier thanks to all the social media
video footage and pictures", Trigo added.

While it is believed that the meteorite did not completely burn down and
has certainly touched the surface of the earth, the crash location is
yet to be discovered. According to Trigo, the very size of the meteorite
determined that it could not completely burn down, before touching base
on earth.
Received on Tue 09 Sep 2014 07:31:11 PM PDT