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Unmanned Spaceflight.com _ Chit Chat _ A Christmas "star"

Posted by: MarcF Dec 25 2011, 09:42 AM

Hi all,

First of all, I would like to wish a Merry Christmas.
Yesterday evening I saw something very spectacular in the sky. A big fireball with a huge tail crossing very rapidly the sky over Germany. It was around 4h 30 PM (GMT). I have never seen something like that ! It was even more impressive since it was during Christmas Eve. I have to mention that it occured before I began to drink, so it was real !!!
I've checked the news this morning (papers, internet) but did bot find any mention to it.
Does someone have any idea about what it could have been ? Satellite ? Fobos-Grunt ? Meteorite ?
Have a Nice Christmas day.
Best regards.
Marc.

Posted by: Paolo Dec 25 2011, 10:47 AM

apparently that was the re-entry of the last stage of a recently launched Soyuz capsule.
merry Xmas
Paolo

edit: there are a number of pics and videos over the net.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4JRiHP1YVU (complete with Xmas music...)
http://www.astrotreff.de/objektdetail.asp?file_id=61955

Posted by: Stu Dec 25 2011, 10:48 AM

Here ya go...

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2011/12/24/fireball-over-germany

Merry Christmas everyone

Posted by: MarcF Dec 25 2011, 02:44 PM

Thanks you for your posts.
Was really an amazing experience at a strange moment.
Marc.