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Re: (meteorobs) Breaking up Meteors or Space Junk? -Singapore s
>Dear Sir:
>
> I have an interesting observation tonite ( 5/20/98 1934 local time).
>I saw a orange-red meteor-like object which broken up into two pieces
>each with luminous trail ( just like sparks created when a metal object
>was held to a grinding wheel). The 'head(s)' of the projectiles were
>clearly' solid-like'. The formation was travelling in a nearly
>horizontal from west to south lasting 4-6 seconds. No sonic bombs were
>heard. And the speed is 'very much' slower than a normal 'in - a flash'
>meteor we normally seen. Is this space junk or what?
>
> Any body out there with similar observations?
>
>
>Rgds
>YK Chia
Your observation appears quite similar to a bright meteor I saw several
years ago. Mine was about 8-10 seconds, very slow, a bright yellow-white
'head' giving off many little sparks and a white trail following behind.
I suspected that this was a debris reentry but it could as well have been
a rare meteor from a slow velocity shower. Besides flashing or flaring
meteors, this was the only occasion I have seen obvious fragmentation in
an object.
We never know but meteor fireballs occure much more frequently than space
junk reentry.
Pierre Martin
Ottawa, Ontario, CAN
Meteor observing and Graphic design