(meteorobs) FW: May 5, 2006 object entry over Southern NewMexico and Far West Texas

[Andy Smith]

Forwarded from the Seesat-list... 

-----Original Message-----
From: Thomas Dorman [mailto:drygulch_99 at yahoo.com]
Sent: 05 June 2006 20:30
To: seesat-l at satobs.org
Subject: May 5, 2006 object entry over Southern NewMexico and Far West
Texas


Hi.All
I am checking with the group to see if anyone can
account for a event we had out here in far west Texas
U.S.A..The event time was May 5,2006 at 3:44:58UT.The
event was observed at distances of three hundred miles
and the sonic boom heard at 100 miles around the
event.The event reach a peak magnitude of greater than
-20.The event cast light on the ground at my location
which is one of the most light polluted areas of the
city of El Paso and we also had nearly a half
moon.Event duration was about 9.5 seconds.There was a
Russian rocket motor that decayed the morning before
but I can not account from what I have found to this
event being a space junk decay.The media and some
experts in astronomy said space junk but that seems to
be a standard answer for most event of this type.
I have observed space junk decays before,rocket bodies
etc.and have observed shuttle reentry but never have I
seen anything like this in my more than 43 years of
skywatching.We are talking about a firball that was at
least five degress in diameter with a trail 30 degrees
and an train at least 50 degrees.Fragments observed
smoking before winking out. 
If this was space junk can anyone ID it for me.
Regards
Thomas Dorman
Horizon City, Texas  

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