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Meteor Over Midwest

Posted by michael on from the fahrvergnuegen dept.

bigpat writes "According to this story in the Chicago Tribune or this article, a meteor estimated to be the size of a 'Volkswagen bug' exploded over the Midwest around midnight yesterday morning. The resulting small meteorites hit homes causing some damage. The largest meteorite collected was 7.5 pounds. So why do astronomers always compare the size of meteors to Volkswagen bugs?"

12 of 509 comments (clear)

  1. VWs are popular by Rinikusu · · Score: 4, Informative

    Because there are probably more VW's on the road in just about any country you can imagine. Tell someone something was the size of a VW Bug and an image instantly comes to mind (not to mention that being an highly "odd" shape, it helps me conjure an irregular surfaced object). For example "It was the size of a VW bug" as opposed to "It was an irregular object approximately 2 meters by 5 meters by 2 meters", which is more helpful to the average person, even someone in the science fields?

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    If you were me, you'd be good lookin'. - six string samurai
  2. Re:Meteor strikes not that uncommon by binaryDigit · · Score: 2, Informative

    Why dont you ask the Kuwaities and The US military about the current success of the next gen Patriot?

    Yes, it's nice to have a decade to fix your problems. If we were talking a large metor striking the Earth, we wouldn't have the opportunity to fix our first screw up.

    Plus, considering the rather, uh, "optimistic" results that are reported during conflicts (e.g. reports of the last Partriot success during the conflict), I'd be rather suspect of _any_ such information until after everything is said and done (hey, it may turn out that it was better than first thought, either way, until the post mortem, I'm not taking anything as gospel).

  3. Certainly does seem that way, doesn't it... by duckHole · · Score: 3, Informative
    "So why do astronomers always compare the size of meteors to Volkswagen bugs?"

    I was skeptical, but:
    http://dsc.discovery.com/news/briefs/20010528/mete or.html
    http://www.virtuallystrange.net/ufo/updates/1999/f eb/m14-013.shtml
    http://www.theblob.info/xtras/kecksburg.pdf

  4. Pictures of it by alien88 · · Score: 5, Informative

    Nbc 5 has some nice pictures of the meteor. The slideshow is really cool. Spaceweather.com also has some more information concerning it.

    I was one of the people that felt and heard the sonic boom it created, my sister witnessed it in the sky.

  5. 1728 by cybercuzco · · Score: 4, Informative
    How many Volkswagen bugs are there in one Library of Congress?


    1728

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  6. Bug = 1 ton by goodmanj · · Score: 3, Informative
    So why do astronomers always compare the size of meteors to Volkswagen bugs?

    Because a Bug is an easily-identifiable object which weighs very close to one ton.

    These days, since the New Beetle weighs over 1.5 tons, one might use a Mini for comparison. But the Old Bug has become traditional.

  7. Keeping my rocks by DeadBugs · · Score: 3, Informative

    from article on CNN....

    "Park Forest Police Department said about 60 pieces of space rock ranging from gravel-sized to softball-sized were brought in to the police station."

    Have you seen what these are going for on EBAY. Sell, Sell, Sell

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    http://www.kubuntu.org/
  8. Re:Meteor strikes not that uncommon by Sgt+York · · Score: 5, Informative
    Well, it's rare, but it does happen....

    Injuries were light.

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    There is a reason for everything. Sometimes that reason just sucks.

  9. Re:Meteor strikes not that uncommon by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    the scientific community does not withhold information about potential meteor threats.

    http://impact.arc.nasa.gov

    the article on the NEO Impact Symposium and secrecy issues is interesting, and addresses your issues of media hush-hush.

    also, if there WERE a meteor threat headed our way, how would we deal with it? that is still up for debate. the money has not come NASA's way that will allow for full research on the topic.

  10. Geologic Term by Hallowed · · Score: 2, Informative

    We were told by our prof. in Geo 101 my first year of college that "VW bug-sized" is a common and appropriate geo. term......

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    1. When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is no longer your friend.

    2. Do not eat iPod shuffle.

  11. More stories + pictures by MikeAR303 · · Score: 2, Informative

    I was in the area - the sky was bright, almost
    blinding... my dog was barking like mad when the
    'boom' was heard.
    Here are a couple links to other articles w/pictures:
    Article + rock pictures
    Article + sky pictures + rock picture slideshow

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    This post will be modded down for no particular reason by a sweaty 14 year old who is not allowed out past dark.
  12. Re:Why Not by UniverseIsADoughnut · · Score: 2, Informative

    Because the little green men in outerspace are seeing Hitler opening the olympics as their first images of us. So the throw Meteors the size of hilters car back at us.

    Also it's a universal thing. Everyone knows how big a WV bug is. If you said it's the size of a Honda Accord few would know how big that is. Also VW bugs are nice and round, much like what the Meteor will look like. Saying it's the size of a common object is much more useful to people then saying it was 32 m^3 meteor or 4500 gallon rock or something crazy.

    Now what would be fun is to launch a VW bug into space and watch it fall back. Wonder how they would describe it's size.