8. Stumping the Experts

No photograph this year was more widely discussed -- by scientists, journalists and around water coolers -- than this one. It was taken by 15-year-old Jonathan Burnett, who was out photographing his friends skateboarding.

Is it a meteor? An exploding spacecraft? Or just a jet contrail?

Scientists first claimed it was the former, then finally settled on the latter. But many people were not convinced that this striking fireball could be nothing more than sunlight glinting off the exhaust of a Concorde.

[Story and larger version of image]

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