(meteorobs) [Fwd] unusual meteor sighting

[RainerArlt]

Forwarded with permission of Cheryl Ann Kittredge; 
perhaps the event was witnessed by other observers
or technique.

Best wishes,
Rainer

----- Forwarded message from Cheryl Ann Kittredge <kittredg at nb.sympatico.ca> -----

Delivered-To: rarlt at aip.de
To: visual at imo.net
From: Cheryl Ann Kittredge <kittredg at nb.sympatico.ca>
Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 14:37:54 -0300
Subject: unusual meteor sighting

I am writing to report an unusual sighting of what I presume was a 
meteor.   

I had this experience last week, the early morning of Thursday, June 
23, at 3:38 Eastern/4:38 Atlantic Daylight Time.  I was driving home 
from Presque Isle, Maine, U.S.A., to Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada.  
I had just crossed the international border at Bridgewater, 
Maine/Centreville, New Brunswick. 

A few miles further, I had just turned right off the main road and 
crossed the small bridge over the Presquile River in Tracey Mills, 
looking, as usual for loose cattle or moose in the road, and had 
climbed much of the elevation on my way to join New Brunswick Highway 
550.  I was at the location which is shown on older maps as Long 
Settlement.  I was driving along narrow road through hills and trees 
and, although I had earlier noticed the sky beginning to grow light in 
the east, it was still very dark where I was driving.  Suddenly, 
directly in front of me and very low, there was a brilliant and 
colorful streak of light, possibly no higher than the utility poles 
beside the road.  There was thick tree growth on my right and there 
must have been some obstructive tree growth on my left because I did 
not see the object until it was just in front of me.  It was traveling 
from my right, the west, toward my left, east, in a trajectory which 
had a slight downward angle, perhaps ten degrees.  The length of the 
streak itself might have been about ten degrees.  It was a brilliant 
aqua blue with some slight pink coloration behind the main, leading 
portion.  Of course, it all happened very quickly.  I remember actually 
exclaiming aloud with surprise.  The object disappeared to my left rear 
before I could stop the car and lower the window to observe whether I 
could hear anything.  I looked at the clock and it was 3:38 Eastern.  
Then I drove a few hundred feet up the road to the first driveway I 
could find, backed into it and looked back to see whether there were 
smoke or flames visible.  I could see nothing.   

I arrived home just after 5:00 A.M. and told my husband about my 
experience.  On Friday, June 24, we went back and retraced my route 
from the border.  We found the driveway I had backed into and 
established where I must have been when I saw the phenomenon.  Then we 
tried to walk through the terrain next to the road in the direction the 
object had been traveling, thinking that we might see scorching or tree 
damage; however, it was old logged land, thick with undergrowth and 
piles of dumped brush and was very difficult walking.   

For the record, I would like to point out that I have several academic 
degrees, two in biology and I am married to an astronomy/physics major. 
 I have a subscription to Skeptical Inquirer, am a firm believer in the 
work of CSICOP, and am not subject to hallucinations or accustomed to 
strange experiences of any kind.  I would love to know whether this 
"meteor" was observed by any other person or organization.  I could 
also locate the position of the event quite accurately, should anyone 
care to investigate further. 

Thank you for your time and attention. 

C. Ann Kittredge 



----- End forwarded message -----