meteor story

The following report was extracted from the local paper today describing
witnesses
in the northwest US and lower mainland china.



SCIENTISTS STUMPED BY BRIGHT FLASHES IN SKY


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SEATTLE

Bright flashes and sharp booms were reported in the skies over southwestern
British Columbia and northwestern Washington early Thursday, and experts
said a meteor or falling "space junk" may have been the source.
Nothing unusual was detected on the U.S. National Weather Service radar
and authorities ruled out aircraft problems or military test flights.
Toby Smith, a University of Washington astronomy lecturer who specializes
in meteorites, said scientists were looking into the cause of the skybursts
over a wide area.
Witnesses from Tacoma and Whidbey Island in Washington state to B.C.'s
lower mainland and as far as Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, said the sky lit up and
there were booming sounds similar to explosions.
Ralph Gaume of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., said it
could have been a meteor, but another possibility would be "space junk" such
as spent rocket engines or satellites falling from Earth orbit.
A Delta, B.C., woman told a radio station the sky was unbelievable and
beautiful - like a bolt of lightning.

"Oncologist" wrote in message
news:t3cwc.7554$B%4.3798@clgrps12...
The following report was extracted from the local paper today describing
witnesses
in the northwest US and lower mainland china.

SCIENTISTS STUMPED BY BRIGHT FLASHES IN SKY

I never cease to be amazed by these kinds of headlines. As in this case,
they are invariably followed by a story in which several scientists are
quoted, proving they are not, in fact, "stumped," but are able to offer
several possible plausible explanations for the phenomenon.

On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 09:23:05 GMT, "Paul Lawler"
wrote:

SCIENTISTS STUMPED BY BRIGHT FLASHES IN SKY

I never cease to be amazed by these kinds of headlines. As in this case,
they are invariably followed by a story in which several scientists are
quoted, proving they are not, in fact, "stumped," but are able to offer
several possible plausible explanations for the phenomenon.

My reaction, exactly. "Stumped" is certainly overused, and misused, by the
popular media. This was a meteor- a piece of naturally occurring material
(almost certainly not space junk). Everyone understands that's what this was.
Just because it hasn't been tied to a parent body, or to meteorites on the
ground, doesn't mean anyone is stumped about its nature.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Oncologist wrote:
The following report was extracted from the local paper today describing
witnesses
in the northwest US and lower mainland china.

When did they move Canada to China? I must have missed that...

--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

To reply have a physician remove your spleen

It is obviously a HUGE government cover up of a space craft landing in
Seattle to get some starbucks.




"Oncologist" wrote in message
news:t3cwc.7554$B%4.3798@clgrps12...
The following report was extracted from the local paper today describing
witnesses
in the northwest US and lower mainland china.



SCIENTISTS STUMPED BY BRIGHT FLASHES IN SKY


THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SEATTLE

Bright flashes and sharp booms were reported in the skies over
southwestern
British Columbia and northwestern Washington early Thursday, and experts
said a meteor or falling "space junk" may have been the source.
Nothing unusual was detected on the U.S. National Weather Service radar
and authorities ruled out aircraft problems or military test flights.
Toby Smith, a University of Washington astronomy lecturer who
specializes
in meteorites, said scientists were looking into the cause of the
skybursts
over a wide area.
Witnesses from Tacoma and Whidbey Island in Washington state to B.C.'s
lower mainland and as far as Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, said the sky lit up and
there were booming sounds similar to explosions.
Ralph Gaume of the U.S. Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C., said it
could have been a meteor, but another possibility would be "space junk"
such
as spent rocket engines or satellites falling from Earth orbit.
A Delta, B.C., woman told a radio station the sky was unbelievable and
beautiful - like a bolt of lightning.

It was a VERY LONG meteor.




"Greg Crinklaw" wrote in message
...
Oncologist wrote:
The following report was extracted from the local paper today describing
witnesses
in the northwest US and lower mainland china.

When did they move Canada to China? I must have missed that...

--
Greg Crinklaw
Astronomical Software Developer
Cloudcroft, New Mexico, USA (33N, 106W, 2700m)

SkyTools Software for the Observer:
http://www.skyhound.com/cs.html

Skyhound Observing Pages:
http://www.skyhound.com/sh/skyhound.html

To reply have a physician remove your spleen

Chris L Peterson wrote in message . ..
On Sat, 05 Jun 2004 09:23:05 GMT, "Paul Lawler"
wrote:

SCIENTISTS STUMPED BY BRIGHT FLASHES IN SKY

I never cease to be amazed by these kinds of headlines. As in this case,
they are invariably followed by a story in which several scientists are
quoted, proving they are not, in fact, "stumped," but are able to offer
several possible plausible explanations for the phenomenon.

My reaction, exactly. "Stumped" is certainly overused, and misused, by the
popular media. This was a meteor- a piece of naturally occurring material
(almost certainly not space junk). Everyone understands that's what this was.
Just because it hasn't been tied to a parent body, or to meteorites on the
ground, doesn't mean anyone is stumped about its nature.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

I did not see print coverage, but the local news coverage I saw was
similarly sensationalized. With such reporting, it is no wonder that
science knowledge among the general population is so poor.

Erik
socalsw