Shooting Star sighted last night

[Snewland]

I was at Sumter Landing last night around 9 pm when I saw what appeared to be a shooting star. No one else around me saw it. Was I seeing things or did anyone else see it? It had a red tail so maybe it was a Comet but I haven't heard anything on the news or weather about it. At any rate, I'm going to take it as a good luck omen for the New Year.

[JohnZ]

It was not a comet. On an average clear night you could observe one or two meteors per hour depending on where you happen to be looking at any given time. These meteor streaks last less than a second (mostly) and are usually white-to-yellowish. What you saw could have been space junk (old non-operational satellites etc.) re-entering the earth's atmosphere. Re-entering junk has a tendecy to burn brightly for what appears to be a long time and shower sparks often giving-off differrent colors. Long tails are typical of "atomospheric grazers" and you usually see these just after twilight low on horizon. Paths are generally north-south or south-north. Big ones can generate quite a public stir. Saw a big re-entry of some space junk in the late 70's....very spectacular. Hope this answers your question. Here's a link for more info:

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/space_junk.html

[zcaveman]

I was raised in Florida and on any given clear night, just laying outside you would see an occasional shooting star. This was before space junk.

Wait until the Leonid shower comes through!! Usually in November. It is a sight to behold!! The first year we were here it came through. I got my wife up at 3 AM to go and sit out in the back (less lights from the light poles) and sat for a couple of hours watching the show.

Awesome!!

[Russ_Boston]

Snewland - No you weren't seeing things. Here is a link to the meteor shower event that is happening:

http://www.accuweather.com/news-story.asp?partner=townnews&traveler=0&article=6

[JohnZ]

The Quadrantid meteor shower began after dusk on the 3rd and ended around 2AM on today, the 4th. Very brief and faint. What Snewland saw was something diferent.

[Russ_Boston]

JohnZ - I know it was probably not that event since the first couple of days are faint - especially the more south you are but you do have the dates wrong. It runs from Dec. 28th to Jan 7 with the 3rd being the peak. Here is a few more links in case you are wondering:

http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/quadrantids/quadrantids.html
http://meteorshowersonline.com/quadrantids.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quadrantids
http://weblogs.marylandweather.com/2008/01/quadrantid_meteor_shower_frida.html
http://www.quadrantids.com/

[JohnZ]

Perhaps it may have been a Quandrantid. But, with a red tail, I doubt it. Quadrantids are faint, usually white, and very, very fast and brief. But, ya never know. Thanks Russ.