Can a person hear a meteor?

kellyann · Nov 10, 2008

Last night I was walking the dog. I heard a noise that sounded like shishhhhhhhh and looked up to the direction it came from and there was a falling star. It was a blue light streaking down then it looked like it exploded in a red ball and it was gone. I know the sound came from the object that was falling. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

vogon13 · Nov 10, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Last night I was walking the dog. I heard a noise that sounded like shishhhhhhhh and looked up to the direction it came from and there was a falling star. It was a blue light streaking down then it looked like it exploded in a red ball and it was gone. I know the sound came from the object that was falling. Posted by kellyann</DIV> 'Falling stars' might be 50 miles away (straight up) to 75 miles away (45 degree angle) so the sound would take (if I am doing the numbers right in my head) 2 to 3 minutes to reach your location. You saw a bottle rocket.      <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!So many people, so few recipes !!Let's clean up this stinkhole !! </div>

kellyann · Nov 11, 2008

Nope. Not a bottle rocket. I know what I saw.   [  QUOTE] 'Falling stars' might be 50 miles away (straight up) to 75 miles away (45 degree angle) so the sound would take (if I am doing the numbers right in my head) 2 to 3 minutes to reach your location. You saw a bottle rocket.      Posted by vogon13[/QUOTE] <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

vogon13 · Nov 11, 2008

I had a few bouts of synesthesia prior to 12 steppers . . .     <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!So many people, so few recipes !!Let's clean up this stinkhole !! </div>

Saiph · Nov 11, 2008

possible, but unlikely. Odd question:  Were you wearing wire frame glasses?  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> --------------------SaiphMOD@gmail.com -------------------"This is my Timey Wimey Detector. Goes "bing" when there's stuff. It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually. I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink" </div>

MeteorWayne · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Last night I was walking the dog. I heard a noise that sounded like shishhhhhhhh and looked up to the direction it came from and there was a falling star. It was a blue light streaking down then it looked like it exploded in a red ball and it was gone. I know the sound came from the object that was falling. Posted by kellyann</DIV> There are rare reports of what are called electrophonic meteors, which produce electromagnetic radiation (basically radio waves) that travel at the speed of light. If there is something nearby that can vibrate (acting as a diode detector) sound can be produced. As was said, it would be impossible for theactual sound to reach you ar the same time, since even if it was only a mile overhead, the sound would be delayed by 5 seconds, and most meteors burn up at 60 or miles up. That means the sound will arrive about 3 minutes later. That's undeniable physics.The subject of electrophonic meteors is still somwhat comtroversial, since experiments to try and detct the EM radiation have been generally unsuccessful.It is an active area of research in the meteor community.Meteor Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

Saiph · Nov 11, 2008

oh bah!  You ruined my odd and mysterious question!  Everybody is supposed to wonder if I've gone nutters before I swoop in with a rational, if outlandish and somewhat controversial, explaination. <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-tongue-out.gif" border="0" alt="Tongue out" title="Tongue out" />  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> --------------------SaiphMOD@gmail.com -------------------"This is my Timey Wimey Detector. Goes "bing" when there's stuff. It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually. I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink" </div>

MeteorWayne · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>oh bah!  You ruined my odd and mysterious question!  Everybody is supposed to wonder if I've gone nutters before I swoop in with a rational, if outlandish and somewhat controversial, explaination.   Posted by Saiph</DIV> Sorry Saiph, I started at the top and didn't read down far enough.I fine myself 85 quatloos. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

Par72 · Nov 11, 2008

somebody was throwing rocks at you, when you turned you saw the meteor. Do you have any enemies? Do you live in a rocky area? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> I am par72 since '03 and I'm a cluster finally!!! pay no attention to that stuff on the left!!! </div>

Saiph · Nov 11, 2008

no worries MW.  Good to know someone else had heard about the idea too.  All I had was the notion that I'd heard it before, several times, from a small variety of fairly credible sources.  Since it's right up your alley hobby wise, I'll just put another notch on the post in favor of it.Sadly, there's still nothing conclusive. It also smacks slightly of a person with fillings hearing alien transmissions.... <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" />  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> --------------------SaiphMOD@gmail.com -------------------"This is my Timey Wimey Detector. Goes "bing" when there's stuff. It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually. I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink" </div>

MeteorWayne · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>no worries MW.  Good to know someone else had heard about the idea too.  All I had was the notion that I'd heard it before, several times, from a small variety of fairly credible sources.  Since it's right up your alley hobby wise, I'll just put another notch on the post in favor of it.Sadly, there's still nothing conclusive. It also smacks slightly of a person with fillings hearing alien transmissions....   Posted by Saiph</DIV> There have even been suggestions that there is direct stimulation of neurons, but for sure no EM emissions have ever been detected with sufficient strength. This research accelerated during the Leonid storms between 1999 and 2002 when there were plenty of test meteors, but nothing was ever detected with sufficient strength...in fact, not even close.For now, a curiosity. In my thousand+ hours of meteor observing (tens of thousands of meteors) I have never heard anything...of course Murphy's Law would make it difficult for an experienced observer

MW  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

kellyann · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>no worries MW.  Good to know someone else had heard about the idea too.  All I had was the notion that I'd heard it before, several times, from a small variety of fairly credible sources.  Since it's right up your alley hobby wise, I'll just put another notch on the post in favor of it.Sadly, there's still nothing conclusive. It also smacks slightly of a person with fillings hearing alien transmissions....   Posted by Saiph</DIV>Is it too late to play the lottery? You guys, I swear I wasnt drinking, drugging or running from a rock. I saw and heard what I did and will believe it till I have gone to the wild blue yonder.Kelly <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

MeteorWayne · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Is it too late to play the lottery? You guys, I swear I wasnt drinking, drugging or running from a rock. I saw and heard what I did and will believe it till I have gone to the wild blue yonder.Kelly Posted by kellyann</DIV> kellyann, first, welcome to Space.com!You are the only one who was there, so you heard what you heard.I'm just laying out the scientific facts; it's a subject I have much famiarity with. As I said, I have over a thousand recorded hours of meteor observing, with tens of thousands of meteors. Just because I haven't experienced it doesn't mean you didn't

<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

weeman · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Is it too late to play the lottery? You guys, I swear I wasnt drinking, drugging or running from a rock. I saw and heard what I did and will believe it till I have gone to the wild blue yonder.Kelly Posted by kellyann</DIV> No, it is not too late to play the lottery. However, since you have already won the "scientific lottery", by actually hearing a meteor, your 1 in 175,000,000 chance has already come and gone; therefore, you should just stick to keeping your job and working hard to earn that money!<img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-wink.gif" border="0" alt="Wink" title="Wink" /><img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-laughing.gif" border="0" alt="Laughing" title="Laughing" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Techies: We do it in the dark. "Put your hand on a stove for a minute and it seems like an hour. Sit with that special girl for an hour and it seems like a minute. That's relativity." -Albert Einstein </div>

kellyann · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>No, it is not too late to play the lottery. However, since you have already won the "scientific lottery", by actually hearing a meteor, your 1 in 175,000,000 chance has already come and gone; therefore, you should just stick to keeping your job and working hard to earn that money! Posted by weeman</DIV>Well, I went ahead and bought some just to see what happens. You never know, as they say sometimes lightning does strike twice.Kelly <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

kellyann · Nov 11, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>kellyann, first, welcome to Space.com!You are the only one who was there, so you heard what you heard.I'm just laying out the scientific facts; it's a subject I have much famiarity with. As I said, I have over a thousand recorded hours of meteor observing, with tens of thousands of meteors. Just because I haven't experienced it doesn't mean you didn't

Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV>Thank you very much! Very interesting place. Think I will hang out awhile and learn.Kelly <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

DrRocket · Nov 17, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Thank you very much! Very interesting place. Think I will hang out awhile and learn.Kelly Posted by kellyann</DIV>  OK now that the original questoin regarding acoustics has been resolved, I have another.Suppose a man is in the woods, and makes a statement.  He is alone and there is no woman to hear his assertion.  Is he still wrong ? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

lampblack · Nov 18, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'> Suppose a man is in the woods, and makes a statement.  He is alone and there is no woman to hear his assertion.  Is he still wrong ? Posted by DrRocket</DIV>Depends. Will she be waiting for him when he leaves the deep woods?  <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> Just tell the truth and let the chips fall... </div>

datalor · Nov 21, 2008

I can only say what I have experienced first hand. During the Leonid meteor shower (storm) of 2001 I definitely heard them. It was early in the night, around 11/midnight-ish, and it was when the low fireballs were coming in. They popped and whistled. I was not alone hearing them either, was with my ex and we were astonished, never knew they made noise! It was not bottle rockets (unless the racoons were shooting them off, we were out in the middle of nowhere) not hallucinations, etc. SO make out of that what you will, but I know what we heard in correspondence with what we were seeing. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

michaelmozina · Nov 24, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>possible, but unlikely. Posted by Saiph</DIV>My thinking exactly.  If so, you're evidently standing too close.

I suppose one might hear a sonic boom or a series of such explosions if one were close enough to the event, but personally I hope to never get that close to one.

<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> It seems to be a natural consequence of our points of view to assume that the whole of space is filled with electrons and flying electric ions of all kinds. - Kristian Birkeland </div>

MeteorWayne · Nov 24, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>My thinking exactly.  If so, you're evidently standing too close.

I suppose one might hear a sonic boom or a series of such explosions if one were close enough to the event, but personally I hope to never get that close to one.

Posted by michaelmozina</DIV> Any acoustic effects (sonic booms, etc) will occur many minutes later. Even if a bolide detonates a mere 20 miles above the surface (very rare that one occurs that low....Tunguska class), the sound would take a minute and 40 seconds to reach the observer. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

why06 · Nov 24, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Any acoustic effects (sonic booms, etc) will occur many minutes later. Even if a bolide detonates a mere 20 miles above the surface (very rare that one occurs that low....Tunguska class), the sound would take a minute and 40 seconds to reach the observer. Posted by MeteorWayne</DIV>Perhaps it was a meteor shower. So there was actually ahother meteor that came 3 minutes before the first one and exploded. So It seemed like it was happening in real time? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <div>________________________________________ </div><div><ul><li>your move...</li></ul></div> </div>

MeteorWayne · Nov 24, 2008

Replying to: <DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Perhaps it was a meteor shower. So there was actually ahother meteor that came 3 minutes before the first one and exploded. So It seemed like it was happening in real time? Posted by why06</DIV> extremely unlikely, though not impossible. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id. I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function </div>

Saiph · Nov 24, 2008

MW, that time delay is probably why michealmozina didn't want to be near one

<div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> --------------------SaiphMOD@gmail.com -------------------"This is my Timey Wimey Detector. Goes "bing" when there's stuff. It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually. I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink" </div>

eosophobiac · Nov 25, 2008

Along the same lines of"I suppose one might hear a sonic boom or a series of such explosions if one were close enough to the event,"has anyone seen this article:  http://www.globaltv.com/globaltv/national/story.html?id=978054 where one witness describes hearing a 'loud boom'..?  The accompanying video is pretty amazing.This link is to another video caught by a police cruiser:  http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081125.htmlVery cool!  <img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-cool.gif" border="0" alt="Cool" title="Cool" />   <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

Can a person hear a meteor?

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