[meteorite-list] Russian Rocket Debris Causses Bright Light in Sky Over Three Western States

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 2015 15:06:29 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <201512232306.tBNN6TPE027853_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2015/12/23/meteor-streaks-across-california-nevada-skies-and-causes-frenzy.html

Russian rocket debris causes bright light in sky over three Western states
Fox News
December 23, 2015
 
U.S. officals said late Tuesday that debris from a Russian rocket was
the cause of a bright light seen in the sky across Southern California,
Nevada and Arizona earlier in the evening.

U.S. Strategic Command spokeswoman Julie Ziegenhorn said the fireball
was an SL-4 rocket body booster from Russia that was launched Monday.
She said the booster re-entered Earth's atmosphere over Arizona at approximately
7:08 p.m. local time (9:08 p.m. EST).

Thousands of people saw the light Tuesday, sending them into a social
media frenzy reminiscent of the unannounced Nov. 7 Navy missile test that
caused a similar streak to be seen across the Western U.S.

The rocket booster seen Tuesday had a bright white glow and several other
streaks could be seen as it broke apart.

Airport officials in Las Vegas and Los Angeles confirmed to local media
outlets that the object was not a plane.

Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Chelsea Stuenkel told Fox 5 Vegas that police
were called to an area to investigate a possible meteor impact, but nothing
was found. Similarly, the Los Angeles Police Department told the Los Angeles
Times that it had not received any calls related to the lights.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Received on Wed 23 Dec 2015 06:06:29 PM PST