a comet's heart may have just nailed Earth

[undergroundpanther]

There have been alot of reports about fireballs lately...


If a meteoroid enters Earth's atmosphere, it starts to burn up, forming a bright streak in the sky, called a meteor. Meteors can come from asteroid or comet fragments. If that meteor is brighter than any of the planets in the sky, it is deemed a fireball (also called a bolide).

A blazing bolide can also create a sonic boom that can be heard up to 30 miles away — these explosive noises were heard over Kentucky on Feb. 13, and over Texas on Feb. 15, causing a number of startled citizens to call local law enforcement.

Initial speculation that these streaks of light and accompanying boom were caused by debris from the Feb. 10 collision of two satellites was later refuted by astronomers, who said it was likely a meteor. Preston Starr, the observatory manager at the University of North Texas, told the Associated Press that the object would have been about the size of a truck and that somewhere between eight and 10 such objects burn up in the atmosphere every year.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29351284/

[Silent3]

1. Just a little bit bigger...

...and we won't have to worry about the economy anymore. :)

[1620rock]

2. I have a moderate meteorite collection. Fascinating stuff. Thanks for posting this UP.

[jpak]

3. There is a comet in the night sky right now and it's closest to the Earth tonight.

n/t

[soothsayer]

5. closest tomorrow (24th) actually

:hi:

[Myrina]

8. Yep, Lulin's getting ready for a drive-by ...

:bounce:

[onehandle]

4. I've witnessed a bolide.

About 20 years ago.

Boom, pops, and a distinct zzzzissle sound.

Cast a shadow for a couple of seconds as it did its thing.

[IDemo]

10. I saw one about 35 years ago

It disappeared and reappeared behind the two peaks defining the local ski hill before going over the horizon. My "Astronomy Magazine"
had a story headlined "Cosmic Boulder Skims Rockies" a couple of months later.

[soothsayer]

6. who believes that retraction of the satellite collision?

not me

prolly raining horrible deadly toxins on us and they just don't want to tell us

:tinfoilhat:

[Tab]

7. I think if it makes it through the atmosphere to the ground

then technically it's a meteorite. It's a meteoroid out in space, a meteor while lighting up into a shooting star and coming throug the atmosphere, but if it hits, it's a meteorite. A bolide is similar, although it doesn't have to light up when it hits, or it could hit without lighting up.

Anal, I know, but you know how scientists are...

On edit: Last part, I meant light up without hitting. See how this is???

[bbernardini]

9. Keep an eye out for the black oil.

<wink>