Falling object sited in Peru tonite

[erhill2000]

About 7:00 pm local Cusco, Peru time I spotted a large (or very close) object falling. Whatever it was it seemed to burn a greenish color, and was falling to the north of Cusco.<br /><br />My guess is it´s space junk of some kind but don´t know. Any other sitings aout there, or where can I look to find out what it may have been ?

 

[lampblack]

Greenish color suggests copper -- which in turn suggests something artificial. Probably somebody's old satellite or rocket motor. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#0000ff"><strong>Just tell the truth and let the chips fall...</strong></font> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

How bright was it?<br /><br />How long did you see it?<br /><br />It is interesting, we've had quite a few fireball reports here this week, and Sunday is the 99th Anniversery of the Tunkuska event. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Perhaps you could try filling out the<br /><br /> IMO Fireball Report Form? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[erhill2000]

Not familiar with magnitude terms, but it was VERY bright, greenish, and it was shedding smaller pieces it appeared. It all took place in a fraction of a second (well, maybe a second or so) as I was eating dinner.<br /><br />If I hadn´t been looking up, as I was taking a bite of pizza I would have missed it.<br /><br />Other people sitting a few tables away were looking down at their table, but did notice the flash, so that may tell you something of it´s brightness. This was on a terrace overlooking a plazza, well lighted, with amber lighting.<br /><br />I´m inclined to think it was spacejunk, but my unabiding curiosity really want s to know for sure. <br /><br />SInce I am in Peru, don´t have casual access to a puter but will chk back here when I can.

 

[erhill2000]

I will post it there. First of all though, I may have been mistaken that it was in the north. <br /><br />First time in south america so I´m still tring to get used to a winter sun arcing in the north, I´m all screwed up !<br /><br />I have a compass in my luggage at my hotel, I´ll check out tommorrow and post on the link you sent, maybe à sholud correct this string as well.

 

[MeteorWayne]

If it was in a fraction of a second, that pretty much rules out space junk, which moves much slower than meteors, due to slower speed, and very shallow angle relative to the atmosphere.<br /><br />For brightness, here's some handy objects with current magnitude.<br /><br />The moon was -11 that night.<br /><br />Venus, setting in the west at that time is the brightest other than the moon and sun at Mag -4.4 (lower numbers are brighter)<br /><br />Next is Jupiter in the southeast at mag -2.5<br /><br /><br />The brightest star visible from Peru is Canopus at mag -0.6, but that's pretty much in the daytime now, so let's cross that off the list for now.<br /><br />Alpha Centauri is about magnitude 0<br /><br />Antares, right next to Jupiter, is +1<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

BTW, this thread does not belong in Missions and Launches, I am going to ask that it be moved to Ask the Astronomer. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[erhill2000]

Wayne, I submitted the report per your suggestion, after I got my bearings this morning.<br /><br />It was VERY bright, largest fireball I ever saw. Brightness was as bright or brighter than full moon, greeninsh in appaerance, and size wise it was proabably at least half as large as the full moon.<br /><br />I was facing SW, it came down out of the southern sky in a westward direction, in what appaered to me about a 45 deg angle. My initial posting I think I had directions wrong, but this is as accurate as I can be now.<br /><br />It seemed close, but I don't know, it can be decieving that much I do know. No sound heard.

 

[MeteorWayne]

Thanx for filing the report.<br /><br />We need the reports to be made for fufture analysis.<br /><br />Wayne <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[CalliArcale]

I'll move this thread to ATA. It'll get a lot more active participation there, since that's where most of the stargazers hang out. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[kyle_baron]

<font color="yellow"><br />It was VERY bright, largest fireball I ever saw. Brightness was as bright or brighter than full moon, greeninsh in appaerance, and size wise it was proabably at least half as large as the full moon. </font><br /><br />I saw a fireball, greenish in appearance, moving horizontally across the sky, also. It was later reported to be a meteor that landed in Lake Michigan. About 5 or so years ago. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font size="4"><strong></strong></font></p> </div>