Posted on 10/18/2012 9:11:15 PM PDT by thecodont
(10-18) 15:07 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A bright flash across the sky and a shaking boom awed Bay Area onlookers Wednesday evening, and one scientist says souvenirs of the phenomenon might be strewn in the hills around Martinez.
A meteor, perhaps the size of a small car when it hit the Earth's atmosphere, put on a spectacular lightshow at 7:45 p.m. that was visible throughout the Bay Area and elsewhere in Northern and Central California.
The accompanying noise was the meteor's sonic boom as it traveled faster than the speed of sound, said Jonathan Braidman, an astronomy instructor at Oakland's Chabot Space and Science Center.
"These meteors travel 25,000 miles per hour or more," Braidman said.
"When they hit the atmosphere they slow down considerably and break up into tiny, glittering fragments."
Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/A-streak-a-boom-and-now-meteor-debris-3960502.php#ixzz29iLppiEk
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Nahh, not me, too busy FReeping...
Over SF it was probably mistaken as a giant gay disco ball.
Till Sunday before Dawn you can watch.
You should be able to see a few "Orionid" meteors (which appear to originate in the "upraised club" of the constellation, Orion) tonight and all through the weekend.
The peak will be before dawn, Sunday morning, and rates are expected to approach ( and, possibly, exceed) twenty-five (25) meteors per hour. As a bonus, there will be no moon to interfere with viewing.
"Orionids" are relatively fast-moving, may be colorful and leave persistent, colorful "trails". This shower is definitely worth the effort of finding a dark, isolated spot (as far as possible from city lights) with an unobstructed view of the whole sky -- and spending a few pre-dawn hours looking in the general direction of Orion (generally eastward)...
Bay Area Law Enforcement Agencies Test Drones
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2947018/posts
Hmmmm, coincidence?
It’s still 76 degrees outside, so I’ve had the doors open all evening. I heard and unusual booming noise with a lot of energy about that time, but didn’t see anything.
Felix Baumgartner re-entry?
Obama’s campaign cracking up in a fireball?
Financial cataclysm finally caught up with the CA Democrat legislature?
We had an undocumented rock land up here last night or the night before.
Size of a small car? Who writes this garbage?
Right. I’ll bet it was the size of bread box.
Feed me, Seymour!
Orionid site:freerepublic.com
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