2012 UK meteoroid

The 2012 UK meteoroid was an object that entered the atmosphere above the United Kingdom on Friday, 21 September 2012, around 11pm. Many news agencies across the UK reported this event.[1][2][3][4]

Overview

Several theories were made as to the origin of the sightings - from it being a meteoroid to a UFO. Initially, the most prominent theory was that it was an old artificial satellite (i.e. a large piece of space junk) re-entering the atmosphere.[5][6] However, later analysis showed that it was highly unlikely to be space junk; it travelled too fast, towards the slow end of the range of possible meteor speeds[7] and, in addition, it traversed the sky from east to west while almost all satellites orbit from west to east or north and south.[8]

According to Finnish mathematician Esko Lyytinen, the meteor was captured by Earth's gravity and entered the atmosphere once again above USA and Canada 155 minutes later.[9] If confirmed, this would classify it as an Earth-grazing meteor.

See also

References
  1. "'Meteors' sighted in skies across UK". BBC News. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012.
  2. "'Meteor' sightings across Scotland prompt 999 calls". BBC News. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012.
  3. "Meteor 'Fireball' Lights Up Sky Across UK". Sky News. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012.
  4. "Meteor mania: Watch VIDEO of huge comet spotted over north west England". The Mirror. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012.
  5. "Fireball in sky above Sheffield believed to be 'space junk'". The Star. 27 September 2012. Archived from the original on 14 October 2012.
  6. "'Meteor shower' over Northern Ireland 'space junk'". BBC News. 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 23 September 2012.
  7. "More on the 21 September 2012 fireball: why it definitely was a meteor". 24 September 2012. Archived from the original on 27 September 2012.
  8. "Fireball over N-Europe on 21 September 2012, 21:45 GMT was likely NOT a reentry". 22 September 2012. Archived from the original on 25 September 2012.
  9. Esko Lyytinen (28 September 2012). "Breaking News - UK Earth-hugging Asteroid Circled the Earth and Hit Again". LunarMeteorite Hunter. Archived from the original on 12 May 2013.

12. Phil Williams (January 2015) "The Meteoric Earth-Grazing Fireball of September 2012" Liverpool Astronomical Society Monthly Newsletter (January 2015, pp. 5–9)

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