Meteor over Cape Town 20:22 on Sat 9 Sep 2017

[Gordon_R]

While watching TV in Kenilworth, I noticed a very bright meteor moving from east to west, that disappeared behind the clouds over Table Mountain. Difficult to estimate exact brightness, but one of the biggest I have seen in 50+ years (from indoors in an urban area).

 

[The Trutherizer]

Would have loved to see it. I'm from Kenilworth myself.

 

[Gordon_R]

Would have loved to see it. I'm from Kenilworth myself.

It should have been visible to anyone within 100km from CT, who happened to be looking low to the west at that exact time (only lasted 2-3 seconds).

 

[C4Cat]

While watching TV in Kenilworth, I noticed a very bright meteor moving from east to west, that disappeared behind the clouds over Table Mountain. Difficult to estimate exact brightness, but one of the biggest I have seen in 50+ years (from indoors in an urban area).

Sure it wasn't the ISS?

 

[Gordon_R]

Sure it wasn't the ISS?

Absolutely not! Very fast track, and seemed to explode at the end. I submitted a fireball report to the ASSA.

 

[Arthur]

My wife reported the same thing last night, in the South East sky watching from Bushmans Kloof, Cederberg. I missed it, sadly, but her description fits yours exactly.

 

[Gordon_R]

My wife reported the same thing last night, in the South East sky watching from Bushmans Kloof, Cederberg. I missed it, sadly, but her description fits yours exactly.

Mine was this evening (not yesterday). Meteors are suprisingly common, just unusual to see one while watching TV!

 

[zizo911]

It's my birthday meteor.

 

[absynth]

Saw it burn out from the CBD.

 

[Gordon_R]

Saw it burn out from the CBD.

Any confirmation of time, general direction, etc.

I could confirm the position since I saw it through the corner of a doorway, and afterwards could triangulate the direction from where I was sitting.

Meteors tend to burn up around 60km altitude (upper layers of the atmosphere), so most observers around CT would have seen it in roughly the same direction.

 

[Xtine]

Saw it on Friday night from a reastaurant in Durbanville looking East. It was quite spectacular, the color changed midway to green and then it fizzled out with some sparks. Probably the same one seen from the Cederberg.

 

[ShaunSA]

It's my birthday meteor.

Happy Birthday zozo

 

[Gordon_R]

Saw it on Friday night from a reastaurant in Durbanville looking East. It was quite spectacular, the color changed midway to green and then it fizzled out with some sparks. Probably the same one seen from the Cederberg.

Interesting report! There are no active meteor showers ate present (associated with the orbits of comets), so these sightings are just random events.

Most meteors are seen in the early morning (after midnight), which is not so convenient for observers. This is because the Earth's rotation the moves in the same direction as its orbit. During the early evening the directions are the opposite, and fewer meteors are seen.

 

[Arthur]

By the way, here's where and how you can report unusual sightings.

 

[zizo911]

Happy Birthday zozo

Thank you

 

[Excalibur]

The end is nigh.