Scientists from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science are continuing to interview eyewitnesses about a recent fireball that illuminated the Colorado night, dazzling holiday campers with an explosive display of natures majesty.
The museum has recorded interviews with more than 200 people who witnessed the bolide streak northward across the night sky before exploding in a shower of sparks, perhaps showering meteorite fragments across a forested, mountainous swath of the western state.
"Anyone who was out camping that weekend was blown away by the sight," said Laura Danly, the museums space-science curator.
Lucky viewers
Some viewers lucky enough to be outside for the event which occurred around 12:45 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (04:45 GMT) on May 27 at the start of the Memorial Day weekend reported hearing the rare crackling of audio-frequency radio emissions produced by the space rocks steep, zippy passage through the atmosphere. Others told scientists the bolides explosion produced a ground-shaking sonic boom, heard and felt just minutes later in several counties across central Colorado.
"But if you could add them all up, people were most astounded by the light of the event and second would be the color and the flames they saw coming off the back of it," said Jack Murphy, the museums curator of geology and meteorite collection manager. Several eyewitnesses reported seeing the fireball break into three pieces near Fairplay, Colorado. Others told Murphy that they saw a shower of sparks fall after the bolide exploded.
"People are so enthusiastic and they describe the event in such detail you feel you saw it for yourself."
Murphy said the museums "meteorite posse" has tape-recorded interviews with many eyewitnesses.
"People are so enthusiastic and they describe the event in such detail you feel you saw it for yourself," Murphy said.
Far-flung fireball
Alert skywatchers as far-flung as Wyoming, Utah, Kansas and Nebraska reported seeing the streaking rock, which many said brightened the entire night sky. The museum team will continue with follow-up interviews this weekend.
U.S. Army Major Mike Birmingham, of the U.S. Space Command, said he had no reports of any satellite debris falling to Earth that night, meaning the spectacular atmospheric fireworks were undoubtedly natural in origin.
Murphy said that seismic and acoustic sensors in the state did not record any data from the event. He added that he was unaware of anyone capturing the sight on film or video.
It is unknown if any meteorite fragments will be recovered from this event. Indeed, given the rocks steep entry into the atmosphere, it is more than likely it burned up, leaving nothing to fall to Earth, museum staff said.
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