BajaNomad

Giant meteor impact in Baja Sur.

Bruce R Leech - 12-21-2006 at 07:13 AM

Our local radio station is reporting what seems to be a Giant meteor impact in Baja Sur. this event took place Last Friday night somewhere between Viscieano and Santa Rosalia. the reports are coming in from truck drivers and rancher's in that area. most of the reports clam that the sky Lit up brighter than day and then there was a big explosion.

is there a website like the one for earthquakes only for Meteors?

bajaguy - 12-21-2006 at 07:45 AM

If there was an impact of that magnatude, there SHOULD have been some seismic activity reported......

Mexitron - 12-21-2006 at 07:46 AM

That would be doubly strange with what was happening in nearby B. Ascuncion...

Don Alley - 12-21-2006 at 08:24 AM

There were major meteor showers (Geminids) up until the 19th, and another smaller shower (Ursids) happening now with a peak tomorrow. Good time to look for shooting stars.

I've only seen a big, flaming earth-striking meteor once, in the early 1960s. It hit the ocean off Los Angeles. Quite a sight but it caused no damage.

David K - 12-21-2006 at 08:38 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bruce R Leech
Our local radio station is reporting what seems to be a Giant meteor impact in Baja Sur. this event took place Last Friday night somewhere between Viscieano and Santa Rosalia. the reports are coming in from truck drivers and rancher's in that area. most of the reports clam that the sky Lit up brighter than day and then there was a big explosion.

is there a website like the one for earthquakes only for Meteors?


Meteors can 'explode' before contacting the earth, so there may not be a crater.

Taco de Baja - 12-21-2006 at 08:39 AM

I saw a large one on the coast west of Catavina at the end of August this year. It lit up the sky brighter than a full moon. It was green and bright white. Only lasted 10-15 seconds, and did not hit the earth or make a sound. Very impressive.

Summanus - 12-21-2006 at 08:48 AM

Bruce, what is the local radio station for Mulege?

Alarming report. If indeed it was an 'impact' there will be a siesmic record of such.

We have witnessed many meteors, meteorites, and annual meteor showers over the past 25-plus in Baja, but never a 'Giant meteor impact'. This would be a first! Baja is always amazing us. Can anyone confirm this info?

Bruce R Leech - 12-21-2006 at 09:16 AM

I like David K think it my have exploded before impact.

the Radio station here is 940 am out of Santa Rosalia.

Could Santa be a few days early?

Dave - 12-21-2006 at 09:17 AM

In Mexico?

Nah. :rolleyes:

jimqpublic - 12-21-2006 at 09:24 AM

What appears to be a "giant meteor" that actually hits the earth might only be the size of an egg. No measurable seismic effect.

baja Steve - 12-21-2006 at 09:25 AM

Bruce, several truck drivers were talking about that Saturday morning at the restaurant across from the pmex . Two of them thought it was a ufo. All three drivers heading south stopped in the middle of the road and they also saw some north bound trucks stopped also. I was not sure what to think about what they were saying but the meteor makes sence. if you hear more would you post it. I am in La Paz now.

Summanus - 12-21-2006 at 10:40 AM

I now have an unconfirmed report that is was a release of combusted refried's gas from Carmelita's Burrito stand. :smug:

Phil C - 12-21-2006 at 12:55 PM

Ahhhh Carmelita's....... Can't wait.

Stickers - 12-21-2006 at 03:17 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Summanus
I now have an unconfirmed report that is was a release of combusted refried's gas from Carmelita's Burrito stand. :smug:


Since you are the God of nightly thunder you must be right.

:lol:

It doesn't have to be a 'giant' meteoroid to make a big flash...

Mexray - 12-21-2006 at 08:03 PM

From Wikipedia,

A meteoroid is a relatively small (sand- to boulder-sized) fragment of debris in the Solar System. When entering a planet's atmosphere, the meteoroid is heated up by ram pressure and partially or completely vaporizes. The gas along the path of the meteoroid becomes ionized and glows. The trail of glowing vapor is called a meteor, or a shooting star. If any portion of the meteoroid survives to reach the ground, it is then referred to as a meteorite.


Also, the 'explosion' could have been the meteoroid breaking the sound barrier as it enters our atmosphere...kind of like the Space Shuttle does as it slows to make a landing.

It would be fun to hit the outback and try to find what's left of the meteorite if enough sightings could triangulate it's approximate landing site! Maybe the 'Thing' has made another visit to our planet!.....:O

Scripps?

tigerdog - 12-22-2006 at 11:29 AM

Did any of you know about this?

FOR RELEASE: August 22, 2001

NEW SCRIPPS MONITORING DEVICES SET TO DETECT CLANDESTINE NUCLEAR WEAPONS TESTING

`Infrasound' array of instruments picks up meteor's kiloton blast over the Pacific

A unique array of listening devices deployed by researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, is one of the first stations in an important new global network that will detect signals from events as diverse as secret nuclear weapons tests, volcanic eruptions, and hurricanes in early formation.

One of the first significant signals received by the Scripps instruments resulted from the April 23 explosion of a large meteor crashing into Earth's atmosphere. The meteor, reportedly 8- to 12-feet across, exploded with a yield of a few thousand tons of TNT, nearly the force of the atomic bomb
dropped on Hiroshima.

http://www.meteorobs.org/maillist/msg22662.html

Maybe keep an eye on this site? http://www.meteorobs.org/

Bob and Susan - 12-22-2006 at 12:15 PM

you're ALL wrong...

flyingsaucer.jpg - 31kB

Bruce R Leech - 12-22-2006 at 12:36 PM

that is what the truck drivers thought to Bob:lol: