Friday 26 August 2011

New science phenomenon: a jet-powered meteor with contrail

Sometimes I just despair. This video of a "meteorite" was shown on the Daily Telegraph's website, a UK newspaper that's supposed to be above the usual tabloid nonsense (and I apologise for the advert if one appears).



It reminded me of the so-called "mystery missile launch over Los Angeles" a little while ago and all the nonsense that followed. Those of you with a pedantic nature may point out that it's not a meteorite but a meteor since rocks from space entering the atmosphere are only called a meteorite once they hit the ground, so if this is space rock it's a meteor. Fine, but it's neither, and may I make a suggestion for those looking to find where it landed?

First place I'd search is an airport.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Perhaps this might be useful for anyone wanting to get better footage of the genuine jet-powered meteor with contrail phenomenon.

List of surviving Gloster Meteors

I hadn't realised there were so many still out there... :-)

P.

PS. Sorry, I've been a bit hectic recently, but it must be lunchtime sometime soon?

Anonymous said...

hmmm. could've fooled me!

Tom said...

P. - lunch will have to wait I'm afraid - too busy for the rest of the week and then off to CA for a few weeks. Maybe sometime in Oct?

PS. Saw a Gloster Meteor fly once many years ago at an airshow at Greenham Common. Late 70s I think...

gigi - I think many people would have been fooled by this but don't expect the same from a respected non-tabloid newspaper in the UK - they could have spent just a few minutes doing a little research!

Tom