Slow-moving daylight fireball recorded over Houston, US
A slow-moving daylight fireball was seen over Houston skies (Texas, US) late Sunday, January 18, 2015 and recorded by Jordan Sterling.
The sighting raised a lot of questions after images and videos started appearing on social media, KHOU 11 News reports.
Patricia Reiff, a professor of physics and astronomy at Rice University, explained for KHOU 11 News what's on the video.
"What we are seeing is a fireball or a bolide," Reiff explained. A type of meteor.
"Usually they don't linger quite so long, so this is exceptional because of how long it stayed in the air!"
When a meteor nearly misses the Earth and skims the atmosphere as it comes around the world, it slows the speed down significantly. A slow moving meteor can make one full swing around the world before crashing or disintegrating. The fireball Sterling captured is similar to the one that fell on Russia in 2013, Reiff said.
Source: KHOU 11 News
Featured image credit: Jordan Sterling
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.