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Flash in Tuesday sky probably meteor

Staff reports
February 20, 2008

It wasn't a close encounter with aliens.

And it wasn't that crippled spy satellite that the government says it might shoot down today.

Instead, authorities say, the flash that briefly lighted up the predawn sky Tuesday likely was a meteor.

"It may have been the size of a ping pong ball or a baseball, but they do leave a bright light," said Mary Singer, a member of the Spokane Astronomical Society. "It hits our atmosphere at 25,000 mph or more, and it's still going a pretty good clip when we see it."

Most falling stars or meteor showers are particles.

"They burn up from the friction. That's the light you see," Singer said. "To show more of a sustained light, it indicates it's a bigger piece of rock."

The flash was reported by early-risers throughout Washington, as well as parts of Idaho, Oregon, Montana and British Columbia, and most thought it hit near them. The point of impact hadn't been determined, and most meteorites that strike the earth are never found, authorities say.

A Horizon Airlines pilot reported seeing the meteorite hit earth with a flash and a burst of light in the southeast corner of Adams County about 5:45 a.m., said Mike Fergus, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman in Seattle. But sheriff's dispatchers said they had no reports of damage from that area, about 90 miles southwest of Spokane.

Several witnesses posted their own first-person accounts at spokesmanreview.com.

"It seemed to be very close to us in Kamloops," wrote Gerald Haggerty, of British Columbia.

"The brilliant moon was northwest; the fireball was southwest. It was enormous," wrote a reader from Helena, who identified herself only as Kathleen. "The ball hit the earth with a crescendo of light."

Cliff Hendrickson, of Pendleton, Ore., said he was feeding his horse when the sky lit up behind him.

"I turned around in time to see what appeared to be a fire trail, smoke cloud and large fireball dropping from the sky to the northeast," he wrote. "I went into the house, got my binoculars and summoned the kids.

"While standing on the porch, we heard sonic booming – lasting possibly 10 seconds."

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