Posts Tagged ‘fireball’

Announcement: The World’s First & Only Meteorite Wiki

October 27th, 2009 admin

Hi all you Meteorite Collectors, Scientists, Meteorite Junkies, Addicts & Meteorite Enthusiasts,

A long while ago I discussed an idea for a central meteorite website with some community members about the creation of a central hub of meteorite knowledge and information database in which everyone could participate and contribute through a community of like minded individuals. This of course would be for the furtherance of the science and hobby of meteoritics, meteorite collecting, meteorite hunting, and the meteorite industry as a whole.

A website that would provide an active and evolving database of encyclopedic meteorite knowledge and information for the hobbiest, scientist and even more so for the curious, as they are the new meteorite enthusiasts and possible future meteoriticists.

As the world learns more about meteorites, asteroids, comets, and the universe in relation to meteorites what better way to grow this knowledge base than through the first and only meteorite related wiki. For those of you who are unfamiliar with what a wiki is, it’s an online collaborative effort to compile information in a community type environment.

Introducing The Meteorite Wiki: www.meteoritewiki.com

The Meteorite Wiki runs on the same software that runs the world famous and beloved Wikipedia.org website, and is robust and feature rich enough to provide the perfect venue to compile the worlds meteorite information into one easy and convenient online database.

Mission Statement: To compile knowledge and share the enjoyment of meteorite science & hobby through an open community wiki in which everyone interested can participate & contribute to the growth of the knowledge of meteorites.

Enjoy…

Regards,
Eric Wichman
Meteorites USA

Those interested in contributing or who would like more information, you’re welcome to respond to this thread publicly on-list or privately via email. If you belong to a university or educational institution we would love to have you contibute your articles, papers, photos, video or other media to the inclusion in the Meteorite Wiki. We have also reserved the most important website domain name as well for the expansion of the Meteorite Wiki experiment, meteoritewiki.org. This is to create a non-profit organization for the site should it be a successful endeavor. For now though it will be under the .com extension.

Popularity: 37% [?]

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Fireball Data Will Be Shared!

July 31st, 2009 admin

NATURE NEWS: FIREBALL DATA WILL BE AVAILABLE AGAIN

Published online 8 July 2009 | Nature 460, 163 (2009) News in Brief

US Air Force will continue to share meteor data

The United States Air Force says that it will resume sharing data on incoming meteors with astronomers. The Air Force collects the data with a network of satellites and sensors designed as a missile early warning system. For more than a decade, it provided them to astronomers on an ad-hoc basis, but the informal relationship came to a halt earlier this year (see Nature 459, 896-897; 2009). Astronomers feared that the Air Force had put a stop to the practice, but “the data will still flow”, says Andy Roake, a spokesman for Air Force Space Command in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Air Force is developing procedures for releasing data that will be faster, more systematic and in compliance with classification procedures. Data sharing could resume within the next few months.

SOURCE: News Article: Big Impact on Jupiter.

Popularity: 29% [?]

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Meteorite Crash or Splash! Ottawa River

July 31st, 2009 admin

Something happened near the Ottawa River on Monday that is leading authorities and resident witnesses to believe a meteorite might have crached down some near the Ottawa River. It’s possible if it was in fact a meteor fireball that was heard that it might have fallen into the river.

one witness described hearing a “whistling sound” preceded by a “loud bang”. This is consistant with a meteoroid passing through the atmosphere either exploding or creating a sonic boom. The loud bang could have been from a meteoroid, which flying faster than the speed of sound would have created a sonic boom that could be heard quite some distance away. The whistling sound is also a good indicator (though not conclusive) of the meteoric orgin of the phenomena witnessed.

When a meteoroid enters our atmosphere it might break apart depending on it’s composition (typically iron or stone). It’s been reported by many witnesses close to areas where a meteorite falls that they hear a whistling or whooshing sound as the space rock(s)fly through the air overhead.

This could be an explanation to the sound heard by this witness. Though this is speculation at this point, the report if accurate does in fact describe key clues to the supporting of the meteor fireball theory.

We’ll just have to wait and see…

If this was a meteorite and it fell in the river, then about the only way to recover it is by scuba or dragging a large magnet across the river bottom. Since most meteorites contain iron it’s possible a VERY powerful magnet might be able to pick up a piece or two of a meteorite if one is there. What is needed now are more witnesses.

If you have information about this event please contact us or your local news station, or university. It’s possible there are in fact meteorites on the ground from this event.

Did something crash in the Ottawa River?

Popularity: 46% [?]

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Fireball – A Photoshop Tutorial

July 17th, 2009 admin

A photoshop tutorial on how to make a fireball. This particular fireball really resembles a sun.

In my endless search for more information and knowledge sometimes I run across some useless information, and sometimes I run across some very cool “How To’s” and tutorials that I think others might enjoy. I don;t know about you, but I’ like art, and I love to play around in Photoshop. This is a cool Photoshop Tutorial I found, and my try at it…

Fireball – Photoshop Tutorial

Here’s my try:

Fireball

Fireball

Not too bad even if I do say so myself… Let’s see what happens when I play with it a bit…

Fireball - Photoshop

Fireball - Photoshop

Now that’s much better… ;)

Enjoy…

You’re welcome to use this image on your site. All I ask is that you link back to my site at MeteoriteBlog.com

Thanks!

Popularity: 44% [?]

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What Is A Meteor?

July 17th, 2009 admin

What is a Meteor?

Information about Meteors, Meteoroids, Fireballs & Meteorites.

Meteors and “Shooting Stars”

Meteors are most often seen as a very brief streak of light in the night sky. They typically occur and disappear so quickly that you wonder if you actually saw them. These streaks of light are commonly called “shooting stars” or “falling stars”. Although they are most often seen at night, especially bright meteors can be seen during daylight. The photo at right shows a meteor in the sky over Quebec, Canada on an early November morning.

What are Meteoroids?

The streak that we call a meteor is a trail of glowing vapor produced when a small particle of space debris enters Earth’s atmosphere. These particles of space debris are collectively referred to as “meteoroids.” Millions of meteoroids enter earth’s atmosphere every day. They are believed to originate within our own solar system rather than from interstellar space. Most meteoroids that enter Earth’s atmosphere are tiny particles of comets, asteroids, Mars or Moon that travel through space and collide with Earth’s atmosphere.

SOURCE:  Meteor | Meteoroid | Fireball | Meteorite | GEOLOGY.COM.

Popularity: 12% [?]

Posted in Astronomy News Tags: , , , , , , , , , , No Comments »

Mason Dixon Fireball Video – Redux

July 16th, 2009 admin
Simulation Of Mason Dixon Meteor Fireball

Simulation Of Mason Dixon Meteor Fireball

The famous Mason Dixon meteor fireball has gone international!

People from all over the world have viewed Mike Hankey’s famous photo of the fireball that streaked across the northeast on July 6th. Hankey, an amatuer astronomer and astro photographer captured the fireball in a photo meant for the Andromeda galaxy. Hankey had set his telescope and Canon 20D digital camera to record a 3 minute exposure of the galaxy, and sometime during that exposure the now famous Mason Dixon fireball streaked across the frame of his photo, forever capturing the event in it’s bright and spectacular glory.

Sky & Telescope magazine published an article on their website titled US Meteorite Hunters Go Bicoastal. In addition, Hankey’s image has appeared in multiple news broadcasts and newspapers across the neartheast.

Today Hankey has posted a video on his website and Youtube which recreates the event. The simulation is put together very well and gives a great new perspective on the event. It’s possible it can be used to calculate the trajectory of the fireball though it’s not exact it could be used to find a general search area based on the angle of decent.

Video Simulation Of Mason Dixon Meteor Fireball

Visit Mike’s site
Mike’s Astro Photos

Popularity: 18% [?]

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Meteor Caught On Tape! – Video Perth, Australia

July 14th, 2009 admin

Perth Australia Meteor Caught On Tape!
December 1st, 2005 – Source: Meteorites Australia

A magnificent blue-green meteor fireball captured on video during a family get together near Perth in Western Australia. The fireball lasted for a few seconds, and disappeared behind the clouds. People from all over Perth and surrounding villages and town reported seeing and hear sonic booms from this fireball. Some people thought it might be a plane crash. Truly a remarkable event. Fireballs this large are rare, and for one to be captured on video is even more rare.

Huge white-yellow and blue green flashes light the sky from this cosmic visitor from space!

Popularity: 8% [?]

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The End Is Near – TheFarLeftSide.com

July 13th, 2009 admin
Image Courtesy Of Mike Stanfill

“The End is Near” Poor man hasn’t a chance. Wonder if he ever read the book “How To Survive A Meteorite Impact”. Guess not…

Have you ever seen those guys with the signs? You know, the religious doomsayer standing on the street corner with a sign strapped to his body that reads “The End Is Near” or some such similar message warning of the impending doom and destruction of all evil. Yeah you know… This comic by Mike Stanfill captures mans futile attempt to warn the world and puts a little scientific perspective on it. If a big asteroid capable of producing and extinction event did come flying toward our planet it wouldn’t make a difference of the guy had the best PR and advertising campaign in the world.

A comical look at “The End” as it approaches at 30,000mph
Image Courtesy Of Mike Stanfill TheFarLeftSide.com

Popularity: 7% [?]

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PA Fireball In Sky & Telescope Magazine – Photo & Video

July 13th, 2009 admin
PA Fireball Captured By Astro Photographer Mike Hankey

PA Fireball Captured By Astro Photographer Mike Hankey

sntThe PA Fireball seen over northern Maryland and souther Pennsylvania last Monday morning has caused quite a stir in the rural communities around York, PA and other surrounding cities and townships.

Monday July 6th at 1:06am there was a large fireball seen and heard for miles around. Mike Hankey, an amatuer astronmer and astro photographer snapped a photo that will go down in history as one of the most lucky shots in astro photography. While zoomed in on the Andromeda Galaxy during a 3 minute exposure Hankey captured an image of the fireball. The chances of this happening are extemely remote. Everything had to be perfect for it to happen that way!

Sky & Telescope Magazine picked up the story and published a Hankey’s photo, and the video of the fireball taken from the York Water Co just outside of York, PA. Read Kelly Beatty’s article in S&T titled U.S. Meteorite Hunters Go Bicoastal

Visit Mike’s Astro Photography Website

Meteorite hunters and scientists from all over the world are chasing this fireball to see if it perhaps dropped some extraterrestrial stones.

The hunt continues…

Popularity: 30% [?]

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Police dash cam of Meteor over Edmonton, Canada – Video

July 13th, 2009 admin

Police Dash Cam Of Meteor Over Edmonton Canada!
2008 November 20 at 5:26.43 MST

The fireball that created the largest meteorite fall in Canadian history. This fireball is absolutely huge! It light up the entire night sky and can be seen for a whoppingly long time. Meteors typically last for only a second or less. Fireballs are just large meteors, and they tend to last a few seconds, up to at times a minute or more. The Great Daylight Fireball of 1972 lasted 100 seconds according to Wikipedia’s article.

The meteorites produced by this fireball are abundant and valuable science and hold commercial value as well.

Wow! This is a spectacular video and perhaps the largest ever confirmed meteorite fall ever caught on tape! Read more about the Buzzard Coulee Meteorite (named after recovery).

Popularity: 20% [?]

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