"Mike Dworetsky" wrote in message

I can vividly recall seeing one once, a few minutes before sunset, then
suddenly it turned into a twinkling bright "star". With a telescope I
found
a remarkable view of a cloud of shiny debris twisting and scintillating as
it expanded. Apparently I had spotted one just at the point when it
"popped" and dropped its instrument package on a parachute.

WOW! That must have been an impressive sight.

Neil