This report comes in from Terry Moseley of the Irish Astronomical Association (IAA):

Reports are still coming in from all over Ireland about the amazing multiple fireball which travelled over the UK & Ireland on 21 September. The object first became visible over Holland, travelled across the North Sea, across England, across the Irish Sea, and then right across Ireland! It broke up into multiple fragments somewhere along the way, – there were 20 to 30 individual fragments observed by the IAA group (see below). The path was almost exactly East to West (perhaps slightly S of East to slightly N of West.) The IAA was running an observing evening at Delamont Country Park, near Killyleagh in Co Down, that evening, and those present had a perfect view as the spectacular fireballs travelled ‘slowly’ from just above the E horizon, almost directly overhead, and on towards the W horizon.

To give an idea of how spectacular this event was, I have had reports from as far apart as Coleraine well to the North of the track, to Mitchelstown in Cork, well to the S of the track. And from Holland to the East, to the Cliffs of Moher on the West coast of Co. Clare.

Some reports initially suspected space debris, but the latest thinking is that it was a small asteroidal body, travelling in an earth-like orbit, which got caught up by the Earth overtaking it. Analysis of reports and photos is ongoing, and I’ll let you know the final verdict when a consensus is reached.

Thanks to the many who have sent in reports.

For a preliminary track & analysis see: http://sattrackcam.blogspot.nl/2012/09/more-on-21-september-2012-fireball-why.html

Filed under: Amateur Astronomy