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(meteorobs) Boulder-Size Meteor Almost Struck Australia?



Title: Boulder-Size Meteor Almost Struck Australia?
Hi all
i thought you might like to see the report as written in the local South Australian paper here .....

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'The Advertiser' Saturday 7 September 2002  (page 23)
HEADLINE
' A Fleeting star turn, then meteor burns out '
by science reporter Andrew Dowdell

A meteor that flashed across the early evening sky on Thursday probably failed to hit solid ground, an astronomy expert says.
Astronomical Society of South Australia technical information officer Tony Beresford said the meteor burned up in the sky west of Victor Harbor.
"I doubt whether anything from the meteor would have survived to Earth," he said.
"It is possible some small pieces and dust made it into the gulf but certainly nothing would have landed on the ground."

Dozens of people from across the state reported seeing the meteor shortly before 6pm.

Victor Harbour residents saw the meteor disintegrate seconds before a sonic boom rang out, frightening animals and making buildings shudder.
Victor Harbour Council inspector Tim Read said the meteor was "the talk of the town" yesterday.
"It was a bit of excitement and everyone has been talking about it," he said.
Mr Read was watching television when he heard the sonic boom.
"It sounded like someone was jumping up and down on a tin roof. My dog went berserk and i ran outside thinking someone was trying to break into my house."

Encounter Bay resident Iris Shaw was walking her dog when the object passed over.
"I heard a sizzling sound overhead and looked up to see a silvery stream going over," Mrs Shaw said.
" I saw it explode but there was no noise until a few seconds later."
Mrs Shaw said a neighbour's television set flickered as the meteor passed .

Witnesses also spotted the meteor from Adelaide . Alan Grace saw it while walking at Stirling East. " I saw a flash of light then the meteor exploded in the air and i stood there in absolute awe,' he said.

SA Musuem spokesman Ben McHenry said he received a call from a man who saw the meteor from Balhannah in the Adelaide hills." (the man) said it looked like it was 300m - 400m up in the sky and was angling down," Mr McHenry said.
But Mr Beresford said there was "no way" the meteor would have passed so close to Earth.
"It may have penetrated as low as 30km but definitely not 300m, that's a perceptual illusion."
The meteor was estimated to have been travelling between 25km and 70km per second.

(+ summary for cgi pic from same article)

*Meteor sighted at Bordertown in states South East shortly before 6 pm (local time) 08:30 UT
      { Bordertown is about 200 km SE of Victor Harbour as the crow flies }
*Residents of Strathalbyn sight meteor heading west towards Victor Harbour.
*Victor Harbour and Encounter Bay residents see meteor disintegrate, followed by a loud explosion.
*Meteor disappears off coast into waters of Gulf St Vincent.
*Strathalbyn residents report seeing vapour trail in sky until about 6:40 pm local time

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Wish id seen and/or heard this one !!!  :((
regards
Kearn Jones

southern-x.org

 
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