How to Catch a Meteor

It’s been an interesting past year regarding incoming meteors from western Canada, to Salt Lake, to JH.

Here is a link to a story about the value of a meteorite that may have landed in or near Ireland.  http://www.siliconrepublic.com/news/article/15137/randd/astronomers-using-web-find-valuable-meteor
Perhaps you’ve noticed or have watched a new TV show, Meteorite Men, http://www.meteoritemen.com  on the Science Channel?  A little thin on content, but fun, & shows the kind of equipment they use to hunt meteorites & how they confirm if what they find, are meteorites.
The upshot of all this, is that there have been three or more meteors seen in this area since the fall that were quite large/visible, but, those who saw them didn’t record necessary info to provide followup so that we could have a shot at finding anything that might have landed here – particularly in the Absarokas or in the vicinity of the Rockefeller Parkway.  It’d be hard to find them in those places anyway.

Copy the below & if you see a bright one in the future, stop your car if you’re in it, & note the following:

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How high was it in the sky when you first saw it?

If at night, what background stars did it start from/end near?  And, note exactly where you are.

What was the angle & direction of its descent?

How long was it in view?  Slow or fast descent?

Did it go all the way to the ground & did you actually see it strike the ground?  Where?  Or, did it disappear behind a specific mtn., horizon, hill, etc?

Did it have colors?

Did it break up into more than one piece?

What time (local) was it when first seen?  (Even, in the daytime.)

Did you catch a piece or get a picture/video?

Anything else unusual?

Carry this list on your person everywhere you go!

Report your findings ASAP to others in the club to see if others had a similar sighting for confirmation.

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Other things are also good.  Check this site for info about fireballs (bolides), reporting them, what to look for, etc.  It’s an insightful read.
http://www.cloudbait.com/science/fireballs.html
 Let’s get one next time.

 Walt