[meteorite-list] Boom & Bright Flash Startles Wisconsin Residents

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed Jan 5 12:45:52 2005
Message-ID: <200501051745.JAA08688_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.jsonline.com/news/state/jan05/290213.asp

Meteor burns over northeast counties

Residents, officer report hearing sonic boom

By JESSE GARZA
Milwaukee Journal Sentinal
January 4, 2005

An apparent meteor and accompanying sonic boom Tuesday evening over
northeast Wisconsin prompted scores of telephone calls to law
enforcement authorities, a Shawano County sheriff's sergeant said.

Sgt. Dennis Kleman said reports of the meteor sighting were made in
Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Langlade and Shawano counties between 6
and 6:15 p.m.

Kleman himself spotted the meteor while patrolling in the westbound lane
of county Highway A about four miles west of Gresham, he said.

"It had a really bright tail," said Kleman, who noticed a bright flash
in his windshield coming from the northeast.

"It came over the top of my squad. It didn't appear to be coming down.
It went across," Kleman said. "It went toward the southwest and looked
like it extinguished."

There were no reports of the object landing, but it is suspected of
causing the sonic boom Kleman and others heard shortly after it flashed.

"It was well up in the sky," the deputy said. "It was just a matter of a
second, then it went out."

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http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/wdhlocal/289007551810164.shtml

Boom and flash startles residents
Wausaw Daily Heroald (Wisconsin)
January 5, 2005

A loud boom and flash of light heard by many residents Tuesday evening
might have been caused by a meteorite.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department took about 50 calls after its
first report at 6:15 p.m. from someone in the Harrison Hills area who
heard what sounded like an explosion and saw a flash of light.
Dispatchers then took calls from residents all over the county. Other
area counties, including Marathon, also received similar reports. A
Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said it could have caused by a
meteor shower.

There was an expected meteor shower on or around Jan. 3, said Theo
Koupelis, an astronomy professor at the University of Wisconsin Marathon
County. The loud noise and light might have been caused by a meteoroid
hitting the ground, he said.

[snip]

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http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=2765977&nav=51s7Upjw

Fiery Object Shoots Across Wisconsin Sky
Action 2 News
January 5, 2005

Many people called Action 2 News to let us know about a strange
sight in the sky Tuesday night.

Calls came from all over -- especially Brown, Oconto, and
Shawano counties.

Callers described what they saw around 6:15 p.m. as a large, red-
and green-colored glowing ball with a tail, shooting through the
sky.

Lincoln County authorities report it may have crashed into a
wooded area there in northcentral Wisconsin. Witnesses said they
heard a loud explosion then saw a fire in the woods. Deputies were
out there late Tuesday night trying to find where the object
might have struck.

The FAA reports the object was likely a meteorite.

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http://cbs2chicago.com/wisconsin/WI--MeteorReports-win/resources_news_html

Lincoln County says meteor probably caused light, explosion in sky
Associated Press
January 4, 2005

MERRILL, Wis. (AP) - Authorities in north central Wisconsin received
dozens of reports this evening of bright flashes of light in the sky, as
from an explosion ... and they suspect it's from meteor activity.

The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says the first report came in
just after six p-m and told of a large bright flash in the town of Harrison.

More reports soon came from all over the county about lights and strange
noises. In all, the sheriff's department got about 50 calls ... and
similar calls were received in Oneida, Taylor, Price and Langlade counties.

According to the Lincoln County officials, loggers near the
Lincoln-Taylor county line reported seeing a glow as from a fire after
they saw a flash of light and heard an explosion ... but deputies went
into the woods with the others and couldn't find the source of the glow.

The sheriff's department says the Federal Aviation Administration tower
at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport advised that the lights
and explosions mostly likely was from a meteor.
Received on Wed 05 Jan 2005 12:45:42 PM PST