(meteorobs) Reports of bright meteor from Queensland, Australia

[GeoZay at aol.com]

>>An unidentified green object streaked across the Queensland sky  last 
night,<<
Since it "streaked" across the sky, I gather it appeared rather fast and  
lasted less than say 20 seconds. Therefore not space junk and most likely a  
meteor.
 
>>"When I turned the lights off the car I saw a glowing green ball  up on 
the ridge three-quarters of a mile away and a smaller piece was  rolling 
down the side of the ridge. They were both glowing green," he  said.<<
 
At this point, I suspect what our old Farmer saw was something other than  
the same object that "streaked across the sky"...maybe headlights to some  
distant car? an active imagination? A crystal from Supermans "Fortress of  
Solitude"? Kryptonite? I tend not to think that a meteor nor space junk would be  
still glowing after it hit the ground.

>>Mr Vernon, who is in his seventies, said the object landed on a  steep 
section of land that was covered in undergrowth and was not easily  
accessible.<<
 
It shouldn't be too hard to find, if he saw it roll down the side of a  
ridge. At least the search area shouldn't be many miles. Get a few Mates up  there, 
they should be able to find the object within a couple hours.  

>>Astronomers are uncertain whether the object was a piece of  space junk 
or a meteorite, however Jim Barclay from the Maidenwell  Observatory 
suspects it was part of a satellite or some rocket  casing.<<
 
I don't think it was space junk. The wording of the report seems to suggest  
it was faster than space junk should be. Also the color green suggests meteor. 
 Space junk seems to be yellowish orange predominantly.

>>"The  description that I received from phone calls was that it was of a 
greeny  blue colour which typically suggests something metallic," Mr 
Barclay  said.<<
 
I think it suggests atmospheric molecules of oxygen being  excited.

George Zay