Posted on 11/23/2004 3:13:24 PM PST by yankeedame
Meteorite 'photographed' hitting Earth
By Nigel Adlam
November 24, 2004
NORTHERN Territory scientists were last night studying what could be the first photograph of a meteorite hitting Earth.
The chances of an impact being captured on film are millions to one.
"If this is true, it's one of the most remarkable pictures ever taken," astronomy tutor Geoff Carr said yesterday.
The photograph was taken by keen amateur photographer Wayne Pryde as he stood near the Darwin Cenotaph on The Esplanade and looked down to Fort Hill Wharf on Monday evening.
The meteorite, which could have been as small as a grain of sand, would have been travelling about 30,000km/h.
Mr Pryde believes a tiny piece of space rock hit the top of a 20m lamp post on the wharf.
He said the explosion on impact could be seen clearly in the photograph.
The "tube" created by the meteorite as it hurtled towards Earth is harder to pick out.
"I was taking a series of time-lapse pictures of the build-up of clouds," Mr Pryde said.
"I did not realise I had snapped the meteorite until later."
The wharf lamp bulb was yesterday found to be blown but the top of the post will not be checked for damage until today.
Experts believe the meteorite may not have hit the lamp post, but metal elsewhere on the wharf.
Mr Pryde, 31, is an IT expert but he denied the photograph had been digitally altered.
Photographic experts also said the shot had not been doctored.
Mr Carr, who teaches at Charles Darwin University, said the picture would create interest among astronomers worldwide.
He said most of the thousands of meteors heading towards Earth burnt up before landing.
"Nobody has ever photographed one hitting Earth," he said.
Mr Carr said the explosion could have been caused by lightning.
"But I doubt this very much - the trajectory is too straight," he said.
AAP
*squints* I can't see the "explosion". Somebody wanna zoom and enlarge for me?
Catch a falling star and put it in your pocket...
But then, what could possibly be seen on a digital photo the size of a postage stamp? and "sized" for viewing on the web?
Actually, I think I see something coming in from the top left hand corner and going into the water at about a 45 degree angle...
A 20 meter lamp post? Sixty feet tall?
Hmmm.
Look at the top left corner of the picture...then go southeast with your eyes...you'll see a little libght at the end of it...it's a very pale looking stream...took me a few minutes to find it!
I saved it to my hard drive and magnified it-- the event is visible, along with a faint trail leading down to it.
You can see the path tube going from upper left corner down towards the middle of the pic - where there is small glowing spot.
More details to come as the story evolves...
is "Underwhelming" a word?
Can't even see the "wharf lamp" let alone the meteorite hit.
Since he was taking time-lapse pictures, I wonder if the picture above is before or after the strike. Somebody posted the wrong pic!
libght= light....but I knda like libght.
The faint brown trail is from top left of photo to center, terminating at a small point of light a few meters above the wharf.
Ahhh...yes, I see it now.
Squinting didn't do it for me so I scrunched and
then it was a plain as day.
I could see the tube if I turned the photo upsidedown.
Awesome.
...and your pants will catch on fire.
Neat pic. Nice to see (har, har) my new glasses work :)
Look closer and you will see it. Just about in the center of the photo with a tail going into the sky.
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