Meteorite over Dublin

positron

Did anyone else see what appeared to me as a meteorite burning out over Dublin earlier this evening?

It was around 5:25 pm, I was on M1 near airport heading north, and this appeared into my limited field of vision (motorcycle helmet's viewport) from the top right, heading down and away from me.. so I guess something like coming from south / south-east towards north / north-west direction.

It wasn't a plane or chopper, it was too fast, and it burned out in a few seconds. The only thing that bugs me is that it wasn't as fast as a typical meteorite flashes you see across the sky, which only lasts a second or less in my experience. This one perhaps lasted two seconds, or three.

Anyway, thought I would ask here. Cheers.

FlipperThePriest

http://m.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-30107326.

This maybe? Caught the end of a news article on the radio about it.

LeaveitOff

Yeah, i'm in Kerry, i saw it while on the way home from work. I didn't see it burn out, it just disappeared behind some cloud from my POV.

positron

Good to know it wasn't just my imagination or street lights reflecting on the visor.

Perhaps related to the ongoing Leonid meteor shower.

This from Russia couple of days ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1VpXeo2gKA
Reddit Discussion: http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/2mnyvq/something_exploded_in_the_sky_over_the_sverdlovsk/

beer enigma

positron wrote: »

Good to know it wasn't just my imagination or street lights reflecting on the visor.

Perhaps related to the ongoing Leonid meteor shower.

This from Russia couple of days ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1VpXeo2gKA
Reddit Discussion: http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/2mnyvq/something_exploded_in_the_sky_over_the_sverdlovsk/

I saw it very clearly heading Northish over Blanchardstown at roughly 17.20pm which would fit in with your timing. Very bright and travelling pretty quick, at first I thought it was a shooting star but it was too big.

Standman

Reports of a "fireball" shooting from south to north at around 5:30 today in Antrim/Belfast.

If it's being seen as far south as Dublin & Kerry it must be a meteor surely?

mickmackey1

Standman wrote: »

Reports of a "fireball" shooting from south to north at around 5:30 today in Antrim/Belfast.

If it's being seen as far south as Dublin & Kerry it must be a meteor surely?

An extremely bright meteor is called a fireball, it really should be as bright as the planet Venus before the term can be used.

Just read the report there and if it was as bright as the moon it definitely qualifies But meteorites are usually accompanied by a sonic boom so I'd doubt if any debris will be found.

Kersh

My gf seen this too, at same time as being reported. She was at Hertz building in Swords, and said it was over towards M1.

She did say it was very bright.

murphyme2010

I saw it from Dundrum in Dublin.

positron

I hadn't heard of the term 'fireball' in this context before.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meteoroid#Fireball

Makes sense. M1 around airport is so well lit, there's usually no chance of seeing anything past that light pollution other than flights coming into land at Dublin airport. So I guess this was pretty bright to have caught my eye when I wasn't even looking, and have been driving among hundreds of vehicles with headlights turned on. Must have been an impressive sighting if you were out in the country somewhere with some dark skies.

MeteoritesEire

it's only a meteorite when something is found on the ground otherwise it's a meteor no matter what size it is.
mickmackey is right about the sonic booms.No reports usually indicate it came down if at all over water or at least an unpopulated area.I've heard nothing about it on the meteorite sites

rccaulfield

MeteoritesEire wrote: »

it's only a meteorite when something is found on the ground otherwise it's a meteor no matter what size it is.

You must be joking me. The word changes cos of whether it lands or explodes 10 metres above ground. Astronomys hard enough for kids to enjoy without jargon nonsense like that to learn- no offence! Asteroid/meteor meteorite/shooting star.................-tis a rock from space.

mickmackey1

Don't forget fireball/bolide/meteoroid :pac:

namloc1980

rccaulfield wrote: »

You must be joking me. The word changes cos of whether it lands or explodes 10 metres above ground. Astronomys hard enough for kids to enjoy without jargon nonsense like that to learn- no offence! Asteroid/meteor meteorite/shooting star.................-tis a rock from space.

But it isn't jargon nonsense. And there's really no need for that reaction. The poster was simply pointing out a fact. Science is being dumbed down enough in the general public that it's refreshing to read the knowledgeable posts of many on this forum. No need to attack posts for that imo.

MeteoritesEire

rccaulfield-thats just ignorance.I'll leave it at that