Unidentified falling object

[rach17irish]

Does anyone know of an unexpected meteor shower that may have been visible in Fort Worth/Keller Texas around 11:45pm cst last night? I saw an amazing blue fireball, but it looked more like a close meteor that was about to strike earth. It was an amazing sight! I was looking south... if you are curious about an exact location, ask me and I'll get back to you.

 

[odysseus145]

I don't know if its related but the Eta Aquarids peak on May 4. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vogon13]

Might have been space debris. NORAD probably knows for sure, but good luck in trying to get them to divulge. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

Any idea what this could be?<br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Smoldering Object Falls from the Sky<br /><br />Twisted Metal Object Ripped Through SUV Roof<br /> By Dann Cuellar and T.J. Alexander<br />October 15, 2007 - Action News is learning more about the unidenified falling object that ripped through the roof of a SUV roof in Delaware.<br /><br />The FAA is now conducting an investigation to determine if the metal object fell from a plane. A couple people tell investigators it sounded like a bomb or a gunshot when it crashed through the roof of Susan Wilson's car. <br /><br />It happened around 4 p.m. in the parking lot of Happy Harry's on Main Street in Stanton. The heavy and badly worn piece of metal resembling a j-hook was still smoldering when fire fighters arrived. It struck Wilson's car with such velocity, it ripped through the metal roof. <br /><br />Luckily no one was in the car when it happened. <br /><br />The area is said to be near a flight pattern for new castle county airport, which is three and a half miles away. A representative from the FAA was sent out to investigate. <br /><br />Officially, no word on what the metal object is or where it came from. The FAA says it may be 3 or 5 days before they have answers. <br /><br /><p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />video on right side of page.<br /><br />One thing I don't get is why the guy being interviewed can't even say, in his opinion, on whether the piece was from a plane. Seriously...someone has to tell him what he thinks? BAH!<br /><br />i personally don't think it was from a plane, because it appeared like rusted steel. it was also hot (reentry?). <br /><br />Opinions? thoughts? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[PistolPete]

To me this looks like it has less to do with the FAA and more to do with NORAD. The article said that the object made a sound like a bomb or a gunshot. Sonic Boom? I imagine that the sound of an object crashing through a metal roof would make a crunching sound instead of a pop. Yet I find it odd that the roof alone was enough to slow down a supersonic piece of metal enough that it did not penetrate the floor of the SUV as well.<br /><br />The object was hot. It could have been an engine part, but it also could have been hot because it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere. To me the possible sonic boom and the heat of the object would indicate a piece of space debris.<br /><br />As for the FAA investigator that couldn't comment, that's typical bureaucratic CYA. He doesn't want to comment on something that the FAA may later have to retract. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><em>So, again we are defeated. This victory belongs to the farmers, not us.</em></p><p><strong>-Kambei Shimada from the movie Seven Samurai</strong></p> </div>

 

[usn_skwerl]

It certainly doesnt look like any engine part I've ever seen. But something that looks like a J-hook isnt something normally taken to orbit either, when was the last "come-along" used on a spacehab?<br /><br />I know how CYA works, but honestly, a sentence starting with "Frankly..." wouldnt hurt. <br /><br />Is there a collective database or point of access online we can go to do a follow-up for this kind of thing? I'd like to know what the FAA ends up saying this thing is. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[a_lost_packet_]

Maybe some looney tried to tow their plane with a hook and forgot to remove it? Landing gear comes down, hook comes down.. The "heat" part of that isn't readily explainable though.<br /><br />It could have been some nearby industrial accident. IIRC, there was an incident not long ago where an object fell from the sky only to be traced back to a demolition crew. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font size="1">I put on my robe and wizard hat...</font> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

Couple of problems here...<br /><br />There's no indication it was supersonic, in fact that's very unlikely for anything (even space junk) since it usually loses it's orbital velocity and falls straight down, reaching terminal velocity for an object in the atmosphere....About 200-300 mph depending on the shape. Clearly not supersonic.<br /><br />Second, without some supporting evidence, I don't believe the "hot" thing.<br />Often, people will report it's hot because that's what they think (which is wrong). I need to see some real indications it was hot.<br /><br />If it was, that would suggest it was from a VERY low flying aircraft, otherwise it would not be hot. That's just the physics of falling objects. <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>

 

[steve82]

Did anybody look for any construction cranes nearby? When one of those fails under an overload, the result is pretty spectacular and can throw debris up and outward quite a ways. And if the crane were overloaded, the crew might want to hush it up and get out of there right quick. It would also put a lot of heat into whatever parts failed, too.

 

[jschaef5]

The hot thing is kind of weird since it landed on paper and made no burn marks. However paper burns at 451 degrees F so it could have still been hot, but if it reentered the atmosphere i bet it would have been much hotter and it would be evident on the hook. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[shadow735]

THis could have been from a construction crane, if it was handing a heavy load and something malfunctioned the force of the malfunction could have heated the metal to scalding hot and thrown the hook many miles away if it was under the tension of wires of a crane.<br />I work part time in a blacksmith shop he has a 150 ton hammer machine that he hammers out huge blocks of aluminum with and normally you need to heat the metal to do this but due to the force and pressure it heats the metal to the point of getting bad burns.<br />Metal under extreme fatigue or stress can heat up greatly especially if it is twisted or stretched out.<br /> That would expaine that it was hot but not hot enough to burn the paper or carpet.<br /><br />This could also be true if something broke off a plane that was a load bearing part. The force of the part being ripped away could have heated it up. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>