[meteorite-list] Fireball Sighted Over Oman

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2015 13:13:01 -0700 (PDT)
Message-ID: <201509102013.t8AKD1LT016933_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://timesofoman.com/article/67344/Oman/Science-/Meteor-like-unidentified-object-enter-Oman-atmosphere

Meteor like unidentified object entered Oman atmosphere
by Tariq Al Haremi
Times of Oman
September 10, 2015
 
Muscat: Meteor like unidentified object did enter the Sultanate's atmosphere
on Wednesday night, however it is not clear whether it landed in Oman
or not, according to Saleh Al Shidhani from the Oman Astronomical Society,
Locals in Wilayat of Yanqul in Al Dhahira Governorate reported that they
witnessed Meteor like object and also heard the crash.

Speaking to Times of Oman, Saleh Al Shidhani from the Oman Astronomical
Society, said, "Based on the information we have gathered currently, we
can't confirm whether it was a meteorite or not."

"We are also not sure whether it landed in Sultanate, but it definitely
passed through the atmosphere. But we don't know where it landed exactly,"
he further added, saying that the object passed through Al Dhahira Governorate
and probably continued to the United Arab Emirates.

"The villagers had conflicting stories where some of them said they had
heard the explosion when others denied it. We will send a team to that
region and question the witnesses and investigate the matter,' said Al
Shidhani.

Oman is a favorable destination for meteorite expeditions and collectors
where the gravel plains in the Dhofar and Al Wusta regions of the Sultanate
had yielded over 5,000 meteorites as of the middle of 2009 of both Lunar
(Moon) and Martian (Mars) meteorites.

The Sultanate has proven to be extremely important for scientists as the
land became a source for rare meteorites.

Some meteorites worth mentioning are Sayh Al Uhaymir 051 (SaU 51), Sayh
Al Uhaymir 094 (SaU 94) and Dhofar 019, which are all Martian meteorites.

Over 22,000 meteorites have been discovered in the world where over 180
of them are Omani consisting of both Lunar and Martian meteorites.

However, a law has passed deeming the collection of meteorite from the
Sultanate a crime as it is considered a national treasure to the country.
Received on Thu 10 Sep 2015 04:13:01 PM PDT