18 March 2011

Virgin Islands/ Puerto Rico Bolide -Green Meteor Fireball 16MAR2011

St John,  US Virgin Islands Large green fireball 7:15 atlantic time 16MAR2011
Mar 18 2011, 7:08 AM
legion3rei wrote: Wed March 16 7:15 atlantic time, seen from St Croix usvi looking northeast. also seen by friend on St John USVI. Large green fireball that shattered in sky.

Coral Bay, St. John
I saw the March 16 Virgin Islands green fireball from Coral Bay, St. John. I was looking towards the Big Dipper and saw it go from a regular-looking meteor to a beautiful earth-grazer with a brilliantly green tail. A building blocked my final view of it, but I did see quite a flash as the meteor came to an end. ~Kristin

Fireball sighted over northern Puerto Rico
Was observed while touring the coast of the island, from Isabela to the area of ​​El Yunque 
  
By Pedro Bosque Pérez / pbosque@elnuevodia.com
 
A fireball was sighted this evening, along the north coast of Puerto Rico, from Isabela to the area of ​​El Yunque. 
The fireball is what is known as a bolide, a large meteor type, different from the meteorites that are regularly seen, which rapidly disintegrate. 
"It was a fireball, green" confirmed Eddie Irizarry, president of the Astronomical Society of the Caribbean (SAC). 
Irizarry said there are testimonials from people who spotted the fireball from Isabela to Rio Grande, and in the towns of Caguas and Aguas Buenas. 
The SAC President explained that a meteor may have a size between five and seven feet, and that people who see a tail and observe the process of fragmentation of the object. 
The fireball was observed between 7:15 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
_______________________
Carribean Astronomical Society



Email from a witness of the event:

George Hill, Anguilla in the British West Indies.I witnessed what I now know to be a “Bolide” on Thursday evening, March 16 from George Hill, Anguilla in the British West Indies. Anguilla is about 250 east of Puerto Rico. I at first thought it was a shooting star but as it came lower it got brighter and bigger so I did not know what it was. I asked several people and no one else I have mentioned it to saw it and all looked at me strangely. My friend encouraged me to look it up on the internet and I found this website explaining it. It was an incredible sight. I have never seen anything like it. I am very glad that someone out there was able to explain to me what I witnessed and know that other people saw it as well.
I am now looking at the “supermoon” which was also an incredible sight as it rose in the sky. At first it was so bright it was hard to look at. Very large, very bright with a slight yellow/gold color and also an oblong shape something like an egg. We spend a lot of time sitting out on our balcony at night and are always spotting things. Very bright satellites (I assume) and the full moon is always a sight to behold.
I look forward to a response from you.
Thanks,
Brenda Fox
George Hill
Anguilla

If anyone else witnessed this please email details, photos and video; email
LunarMeteoriteHunter@gmail.com  Thank you!

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