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Residents Report Bright Streak Over Bay Area Friday Evening

The Chabot Space and Science Center has received numerous reports of a bright object flying through the sky in over northern California Friday night, as noted by The Washington Post, NBC, and others. According to NBC's version of the story "Chabot astronomers in Oakland said the meteor was not related to the asteroid passing near Earth. Gerald McKeegan, an astronomer at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland, said he did not see it, but based on accounts he thinks it was a 'sporadic meteor.' Sporadic meteors bring as much as 15,000 tons of space debris to Earth each year, according to McKeegan. He said it was likely smaller than another meteor that landed in the Bay Area in October, which caused a loud sonic boom as it fell." The eyewitness accounts make it sound pretty spectacular, though; too bad we don't have quite as many dashcams going as there are in Russia.

123 comments

  1. how cares about meteorites? by partiklehead · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Cue a discussion about dashcams

    --
    disclaimer: I am a you row pee'n
    1. Re:how cares about meteorites? by nschubach · · Score: 5, Informative

      In Russia, they are used as evidence collectors because of all the shady folks trying to game the system. Here in the US, anyone with a dash cam is laughed at by a majority of people. I have a dash cam and people at work assume I have it to catch accidents and think it's a gruesome reason. Also, since people don't throw themselves in front of buses as much as Russians apparently do, the dashcams are not as widely used here.

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
    2. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Skapare · · Score: 0, Offtopic

      I'm looking for a good one now. 1920x1080p30, wide angle, supports SD/SDHX/SDXC, internal battery plus car power operation choice. Stores in file and video format Linux based software (e.g. ffmpeg, etc) can read. One with wifi to recorder would be a plus.

      --
      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
    3. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Russian dashcams are largely encouraged by insurance companies for that very reason. The problem is, if that were done in the US, the insurance companies would mandate a single very specific, very faulty model of dash camera (per insurance company) that doesn't fit in most cars, can be disabled via remote by any law enforcement official or Homeland Security member, is illegal for the end-user to even touch, is ungodly expensive for its functionality, encrypts and DRMs all its recorded video, and is designed to resist any form of accessing the video on it unless you're an employee of the insurance company. Otherwise, they can't trust it and won't believe any evidence gathered from it.

    4. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Cue discussions about LACK of dashcam videos from Norther California.

      Economy must not be too bad or else there would be more insurance fraud or police corruption necessitating dash cam proliferation.

      Or maybe Northern California is too boring to post on youtube.

    5. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      >1920x1080p30

      Good luck finding anything that actually puts out quality video in that resolution.

    6. Re:how cares about meteorites? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1, Funny

      My my. Just a tad paranoid, are we now?

      So, what do you think the bright light was?

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    7. Re:how cares about meteorites? by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

      Basically you want a GoPro with the wireless controller. Don't know about the Linux stuff, but it puts out a pretty standard codec.

      Would not be as 'hands off' as the purpose built dash cams but you would get the better image quality.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    8. Re:how cares about meteorites? by kelemvor4 · · Score: 1

      I'm looking for a good one now. 1920x1080p30, wide angle, supports SD/SDHX/SDXC, internal battery plus car power operation choice. Stores in file and video format Linux based software (e.g. ffmpeg, etc) can read. One with wifi to recorder would be a plus.

      GoPro HD Hero 2 (and 3) will do that; you can get a wifi adapter for it. VLC (and probably other software) reads it just fine.

    9. Re:how cares about meteorites? by davydagger · · Score: 1

      gstreamer has gotten exceptionally good, to the point, where its far far far better than the windows framework in the types of files it can play and how well.

      Of course, accross platform, VLC is hands down the best, as far as formats go, and the linux port runs well.

    10. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

      Hmm, the new pope coming to claim his throne...?

    11. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Luckyo · · Score: 5, Funny

      Makes sense. First one overshot and hit Russia, second undershot and hit US. They're going to calibrate for somewhere in the middle and fire for effect soon.

    12. Re:how cares about meteorites? by drankr · · Score: 1

      "all the shady folks trying to game the system"

      you don't get that, huh? Fascinating.

    13. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Ja'Achan · · Score: 3

      Actually, yes, a few. Like here, at 1m11s. Not the first one I've seen, just the first one that popped up on Google.

    14. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

      Before you make stupid remarks have you heard the word "search"?

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_miRPJgwDM

    15. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tungsten-steel rods.

    16. Re:how cares about meteorites? by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Dashcam technology is cheap. Would not surprise me in the slightest that this becomes a dealer option or standard in future cars sold. Flash memory is cheap too. You might be able to buffer weeks if not entire months of recording video while driving.

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    17. Re:how cares about meteorites? by D'Sphitz · · Score: 5, Informative

      Have you even seen A SINGLE ONE video showing a person throwing itself in front of a passing car in any of the million of russian dashcam videos?

      Just a single one? Here's about 2 dozen.

    18. Re:how cares about meteorites? by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 1

      You forgot that they would broadcast your name and location long with the video to a secret Google/NSA/MPAA server.

    19. Re:how cares about meteorites? by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      There really isn't a good Samaritan law in CA and you can be sued for all sorts of crap. (providing the wrong assistance, failing to provide assistance, doing something incorrectly, and so on) I wouldn't be surprised that if there are dash cams in use in CA, they might be a little hesitant to post them.

      Then there was those CSI accident cleanup people who took pictures of some dead girl and passed it around where someone ended up harassing her parents with them. I forget what the outcome of that was but I wouldn't be surprised if there aren't a lot of local laws dealing with what can be done with accident scene footage/pics. Of course there is the free press thing, but it costs money to fight it i guess. I don't see it becoming popular there any time soon.

    20. Re:how cares about meteorites? by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 0

      Oh cool they are going to take out France!!

    21. Re:how cares about meteorites? by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 1

      Just because you are paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you

      --

      "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
    22. Re:how cares about meteorites? by RubberDogBone · · Score: 1

      Can you suggest a good dashcam? I ordered one online and it worked well for a whopping three days before it just broke. Got a refund. Now I need to find a good one that will last.

      --
      Sig for hire.
    23. Re:how cares about meteorites? by mortonda · · Score: 1

      Look again at a globe. Halfway between these two locations is somewhere north of Alaska.

    24. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Dexter+Herbivore · · Score: 1

      Yup, plenty. Lots of other slashdotters have provided links, I'm just going to sit here and wonder why dashcams imply some sort of prejudice to you?

    25. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cue discussions about a new Slashdot meme/type of troll.

    26. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wonder if someone can see it from her house ?

    27. Re:how cares about meteorites? by nschubach · · Score: 1

      I have a DOD GS600 and have had good luck with it on 10min length and a class 10 SD card. Others have complained, but I know of two of these cameras running right now for over a year.

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
    28. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's more than one halfway point on a globe

    29. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Know any good dashcam systems that run automatically without any effort?

    30. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lots of people now use their cell phones as a navigation system. Just get a car mount that doesn't block the camera and record video whenever you drive. You get the benefit of a dash camera without anyone really needing to know.

    31. Re:how cares about meteorites? by camperdave · · Score: 1

      Ah! So "Deadliest Catch" is upping the ante? Too much competitoin from Ice Pilots and Ice Road Warriors, perhaps?

      "Meanwhile, back on the Wizard, they are bracing for the wave caused by the meteorite that vaporized the Time Bandit".

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    32. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In Soviet Slashdot, Russia cues You!

    33. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      California has laws about recording without consent. They enforce them I have been told

    34. Re:how cares about meteorites? by inamorty · · Score: 0

      If the aliens manage to hit both the pope and Palin with one stone, Dawkins et al. have some serious rethinking to do..

    35. Re:how cares about meteorites? by CrashandDie · · Score: 1

      I've recently got a Liquid Image Ego camera. It works very well, and is compatible with all the GoPro mounts.

      I got the GoPro suction cup mount, and it's awesome. The plus is that it emits WiFi, which you can use with their proprietary app on Android or iOS to get a feed from the camera when it isn't recording, and adjust most so called "advanced" settings (exposure, FOV, etc). There's a 10-20 second delay with the feed, but it works fine as a viewfinder.

      The battery isn't user replaceable, and I don't think it supports an external power source. The battery runs for roughly 2 hours. Footage can be recorded either in 1080p30 or 720p60. Every recording comes with a downconverted low-res version, which is actually the feed that was streamed to whatever device you had plugged on the WiFi.

      The FOV is either 135 degrees or 90. This setting, however, is only changeable via the WiFi app. The buttons on the device itself only allow to power it on or off, select mode (1080p or 720p video, picture mode, etc). If you just want to start shooting, you'd basically hold the power button for a couple of seconds, wait 10 seconds for it to "boot", then press the other button to start recording. The video quality is very good, except in very low light. If there's not enough light, some silly "night mode" will kick in, which makes the image extremely blurry, and sadly, blue.

      Other than the lack of night mode support, it's a superb little piece of kit. I use it mainly to film my commute to and fro work, as I'm on a motorbike. The suction cup mount works fine on non porous helmets, or on the fuel tank.

    36. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The second coming of Jesus?

      Do I win anything for guessing it right?

    37. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and nothing of value would be lost.

    38. Re:how cares about meteorites? by the+eric+conspiracy · · Score: 1

      If you go WEST from the Urals you will get closer to France.

      You are right though that it might take a couple of more shots to bracket France properly.

    39. Re:how cares about meteorites? by TarPitt · · Score: 0

      Unlike Russia, California is a failed socialist state with high taxes and government regulations destroying any capability of supporting modern civilization.

      People there are lucky to afford to rub 2 sticks together to make a fire, much less afford a dashcam system on an automobile.

      Haven't you read Atlas Shrugged?

      --
      If your children ever found out how lame you are, they'd murder you in your sleep
    40. Re:how cares about meteorites? by a_hanso · · Score: 1

      Look at the globe again. It's not the pope that's the target. It's Santa Claus.

    41. Re:how cares about meteorites? by nschubach · · Score: 1

      There are apps like "DailyRoads Voyager" for Android. I'm sure they have them for iPhone too.

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
    42. Re:how cares about meteorites? by slashmydots · · Score: 2

      Before you make stupid remarks have you heard the word "search"?

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1_miRPJgwDM

      Yes, we've all heard of the word search. They're usually in the paper and on the placemats in family restaurants.

    43. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Luckyo · · Score: 1

      Makes sense. The vindictive Christian God is going to take out competition in the bloodiest way possible.

      Looks like we're going to get a sequel for Old Testament, Gundam style. Colony drop!

    44. Re:how cares about meteorites? by mikael · · Score: 1

      Sounds like Santa Claus coming home drunk again ...

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    45. Re:how cares about meteorites? by mikael · · Score: 1

      Given that you have to be a millionaire to afford to live on the SF Bay Area penisula, it wouldn't be profitable to spend more time in court that at work.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
    46. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My my. Just a tad paranoid, are we now?

      So, what do you think the bright light was?

      Paranoia? What paranoia? It's just business.

    47. Re:how cares about meteorites? by vandamme · · Score: 1

      HAARP?

    48. Re:how cares about meteorites? by Skapare · · Score: 1

      I also want it to have a quick release/attach mount so I can grab it when I leave the car without destroying things, and put it in my pocket, before thieves have a chance.

      --
      now we need to go OSS in diesel cars
  2. Just the beginning... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    ...of the invasion.

    1. Re:Just the beginning... by peragrin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      no no no you got it all wrong. this is the lead fragments of a super massive sized meteor heading our way. You see when it passed through the asteroid belt it pushed a few rocks out in front of it. those are the rocks that are near missing us right now. And since we can't actually see that far into space we can't get together a group of drilling roughnecks and wannabe actors to save us all.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    2. Re:Just the beginning... by Krojack · · Score: 1

      Battle: Los Angeles!

    3. Re:Just the beginning... by drrilll · · Score: 1

      I was thinking armageddon, but I am open to other disaster theories as well. Perhaps one of the meteors will bring down the space radiation that raises zombies from the dead. I am currently scouting stores that carry crossbows just in case.

    4. Re:Just the beginning... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      it could be the Centauri. they did use mass drivers during the invasion of the Narn home world.

    5. Re:Just the beginning... by rwa2 · · Score: 1

      Nah, pretty sure it's an alien attack. I'm probably just as surprised as they are that we haven't launched counterattacks on each other and obliterated ourselves "Monsters on Maple St." style so they can descend and subdue the survivors and colonize our planet in relative peace.

    6. Re:Just the beginning... by icebike · · Score: 2

      no no no you got it all wrong. this is the lead fragments of a super massive sized meteor heading our way. You see when it passed through the asteroid belt it pushed a few rocks out in front of it. those are the rocks that are near missing us right now. And since we can't actually see that far into space we can't get together a group of drilling roughnecks and wannabe actors to save us all.

      Although you are clearly trying a humor, you are probably more correct than you know.

      Not about the Massive sized meteor bit, but about the prevalence of smaller "fellow travelers" following (or preceding) the Asteroid that missed earth on Feb 15. In addition to debris from impacts the asteroid may have suffered in the past, you can add possible small moonlets that might accompany the asteroid, or other random rocks that might have been influenced by the Asteroid over decades.

      Much as some astronomers have rushed to say these are not related, (having never actually seen these meteors themselves) the likelihood is there that they accompanied or preceded the asteroid, or had a related origin. None of these meteors were even detected on radar in advance, and no-one knows their orbits. It may be possible to extract their orbits from pre-recorded observations from the past several weeks, but I doubt its anyone's priority.

      --
      Sig Battery depleted. Reverting to safe mode.
    7. Re:Just the beginning... by peragrin · · Score: 1

      actually thats what i assumed they were but no one believes anything so mundane anymore.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    8. Re:Just the beginning... by TapeCutter · · Score: 1

      That was my first thought about the Russian meteor, however I read "they" had figured out it was traveling in the opposite direction. If that's true then it was just a coincidence the two rocks arrived on the same day. This is the first I have heard of the Californian rock, but fireballs are not a particularly rare event, I've been lucky enough to wittiness two fireballs first hand in 50yrs of looking up.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    9. Re:Just the beginning... by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

      And I thought it was just more "streakers" protesting San Francisco's new nudity laws: http://science.slashdot.org/story/13/02/16/1733217/residents-report-bright-streak-over-bay-area-friday-evening

      Disappointing headline.

      --
      Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
    10. Re:Just the beginning... by cusco · · Score: 1

      Dunno about the California rock, but the Russian one and DA14 were traveling in paths that were 90 degrees from one another. There's no way their orbital paths have been related for the last several million years.

      --
      "Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin
    11. Re:Just the beginning... by slashmydots · · Score: 1

      this is the lead fragments of a super massive sized meteor heading our way. You see when it passed through the asteroid belt it pushed a few rocks out in front of it.

      The probability of the angle matching perfectly at that distance is worse than me making a complex pool shot with a full-sized lance on horseback. It would have to hit dead center with unbelievable accuracy for both to travel in the same straight line.

  3. If I was the worrying type... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'd start getting a little nervous. I'd start to think that the patron saint of Journalists, St Francis De Sale, or his pagan god equivalent was providing some pretty great headlines right now for a reason.

    1. Re:If I was the worrying type... by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      I'd start getting a little nervous. I'd start to think that the patron saint of Journalists, St Francis De Sale, or his pagan god equivalent was providing some pretty great headlines right now for a reason.

      Like this reason?

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  4. how cares about dashcams? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cue a discussion about fuel prices

  5. Russian dashcams by stevegee58 · · Score: 2

    What's with the Russian dashcams anyway? I saw that spectacular Russian plane crash last month on some driver's camera in addition to the more recent recent meteorite.

    1. Re:Russian dashcams by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Car insurance probably.
      Go on YouTube and search for russian car crash and you get hundreds of car crashes that were captured with a dash cam.
      I guess they are so drunk all the time they need camera evidence when sorting out blame for insurance.

    2. Re:Russian dashcams by houghi · · Score: 2

      They have them for insurance reasons. And if something happens, they will put it online. If there would be as many dashcams in the rest of the world, you would see a lot more of them from the rest of the world.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    3. Re:Russian dashcams by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yup. In the UK some insurance companies will offer a discount if you carry an (insurance company installed) dash cam and/or black box recording accelerations etc. In many cases people don't do this because of privacy concerns, but fit their own so they can collect their own evidence in the case of a crash - many insurance claims result in a knock-for-knock judgement where each company pays the other driver's claim because fault can't be determined, resulting in higher premiums/loss of NCD for both parties, but installing your own dash cam can provide enough evidence to save you hundreds or thousands of pounds in the long run.

      --
      Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
    4. Re:Russian dashcams by isorox · · Score: 1

      What's with the Russian dashcams anyway? I saw that spectacular Russian plane crash last month on some driver's camera in addition to the more recent recent meteorite.

      Porn.

      In Russia, you often get hot girls baring all at traffic, sometimes even more ;)

    5. Re:Russian dashcams by sootman · · Score: 3

      AFAIK it's to generate awesome videos like this.

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  6. Global Warming and meteorites by prakslash · · Score: 3, Funny

    Actually, global warming is to blame behind increased meteor activity:

    (1) CO2 is a heavier gas than Oxygen and Nitrogen. Because of molecular forces, the increased number of CO2 molecules in the atmosphere are pulling down the whole atmosphere closer to earth's surface. Therefore, meteors that would normally have burnt up higher in the atmosphere are coming closer and closer to earth's surface before they burn up. Sometimes, though, they make it all the way because of the reduced distance over which to burn up.

    (2) Increased CO2 is also leading to holes in the Ozone layer. This layer acts as a defensive shield. With more holes that are getting bigger in size, meteors are slipping through and reaching us.

    (3) Scientists have postulated that increased planetary warmth and high concentration of CO2 on an earth-like planet may indicate the presence of an advanced civilization. They are actually using this theory to conduct SETI. It is possible that advanced aliens are doing the same. They have detected global warming on earth and are hurling meteors at earth and using it as a sounding board for their own SETI projects.

    1. Re:Global Warming and meteorites by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      1) what are molecular forces?

      2) pretty sure we just had an article discussing *the* definitive hole in the ozone layer has been consistently shrinking and is smaller than it has been in over 5 years.

      3) i postulate that mice rule the universe from their underground lairs from any celestial body that suits their logistical needs, atmosphere be damned.

    2. Re:Global Warming and meteorites by DigiShaman · · Score: 1

      Anchor is a LIV (Low Information Voter).

      --
      Life is not for the lazy.
    3. Re:Global Warming and meteorites by Brett+Buck · · Score: 3

      They know their audience well. Both of them thought this was a good question.

  7. Cuba by EnsilZah · · Score: 1

    Also reports of presumably the same one passing over Cuba.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6VBWhny54c

    Sort of looks fake to me, with with trail fading really fast and the object looking like a certain lensflare plugin preset but I guess that might be a testament to the accuracy of the plugin.

    1. Re:Cuba by EvilSS · · Score: 1

      It's a 2006 video from Mexico.

      --
      I browse on +1 so AC's need not respond, I won't see it.
    2. Re:Cuba by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That video has been confirmed as video of a meteor over Mexico in 2006.

    3. Re:Cuba by sumdumass · · Score: 1

      I think the fake appearance of the video is due to the cloud cover. The tail would disburse quickly and not reflect the sunlight or the heat of burning up on entry. Had there not been clouds, you would see it a lot longer. You can see it is behind a set of clouds and illuminating through them.

    4. Re:Cuba by TapeCutter · · Score: 1

      I've seen two fireballs in my lifetime, one was like you see in the movies, long tail then a bright greenish/yellow flash, it was a clear summer night and the event was on the front page of the newspaper the next day. The second one was on a damp winter night, it broke up as it came through a low cloud layer, it had several thin short tails and was moving relatively slow compared to a regular shooting star. I could see the pieces separate into a shot gun like formation of glowing yellow/red particles. Perhaps in the second case the cloud blocked the flare and what I was seeing were the remains, I don't know?, I also don't know if anyone else noticed it.

      I'm not saying anything about the vid in question (haven't even clicked it), just pointing out that two similar events looked very different to me and the obvious difference in observing conditions was thick cloud cover.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
  8. And over washington by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I live in western washington (puget sound area). I was on the deck with my wife last night, and we were talking about the russian meteor, when to the south, I saw a huge streak in the sky that lasted about 2 seconds. Based on the distance, if it didn't completely brake up, it looks like it probably would have landed in south-west washington. Was pretty impressive. I jumped up and yelled "holy shit" - by the time my wife got up there was nothing to be seen.

    What's crazy is I've seen "shooting stars" before - even with the high level of light pollution. This was NOTHING like that. It wasn't a faint streak across the sky, it was bright as hell and wide.

    1. Re:And over washington by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 1

      Yup, certainly sounds like a fireball. Most shooting stars are the size and density of the ash flicked off a cigarette, so you get a bright but very "thin" trail. A bigger and/or denser object, an actual rock for example, will look very different. I saw one back in the 80s which appeared to be the size and colour of a sodium street lamp from about 50m away, I suspect it was actually about the size of a basketball. Most of the glow you see isn't the object, it's plasma and superheated air from the compressive wave in front of the object.

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    2. Re:And over washington by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Some of these things are a lot more common than people think, in part because they don't immediately broadcast such sightings and don't realize how many ones are seen by other people. Any individual might only see a large one once or twice in their life if they don't specifically spend time looking for meteors in the sky, but that doesn't mean that they only happen once or twice in several decades.

      I would have to wonder how many of such reports are typical every day meteor happenings, but now in response to the meteor and asteroid in the news, people are now going to make a bigger deal and spend more effort to share their sightings, and because of the internet, those sightings will be shared with a much wider audience.

    3. Re:And over washington by mikael · · Score: 1

      One time I used to do my weekly shopping at a supermarket where the time between the bus arriving and department was about an hour. Left me 30 minutes between the checkout and catching the bus home. Not leaving much to do, except just sit around and watch the world go by. One time, I see a meteor trail in the sky, just over the rooftops of the local buildings - just a sudden white line that appeared and disappeared in the sky in less than a second. Nobody in the surrounding area noticed.

      The other events that fascinate me were being in the top floor of buildings and hearing a massive bang on the roof like someone hitting it with a sledgehammer. In the first case I then heard a roof slate slide downwards and fall on the ground. We did have the chance to check the ground and rain gutters, but the only object found was a yellowish-orange stone. Other time was being in a metal-framed fitness center with corrugated metal roof. The whole building reverberated with that sound but there wasn't anyone outside for 100 meters.

      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
  9. Re:Terrible Software by sa1lnr · · Score: 2, Insightful

    From what I've been reading, it doesn't play all that well on windows either. :)

  10. Come one Ron by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    How could you miss the train to Hogwarts again?

  11. It's like 1950's all over again... by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 3, Funny

    Russians have demonstrated their mighty R-7 type bolide, demonstrating the advances of Soviet astronomy, and all the Americas had as an answer was a pitiful Vanguard type meteor that didn't even explode properly.

    --
    Ezekiel 23:20
  12. Video footage by choprboy · · Score: 4, Informative

    ... too bad we don't have quite as many dashcams going as there are in Russia.

    But there are more than enough.... This showed up on Youtube late last night, I believe this is the original poster:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HLpTOc1i8_8

    And then a short time later this showed up:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkF4sloZmBI

  13. In unrelated news by Njovich · · Score: 4, Funny

    In unrelated news, intelligence monitoring has picked up Kim Jong Un stating 'second test successful too!' followed by manaical laughter from his Starcraft-2 themed war-room.

    1. Re:In unrelated news by a_hanso · · Score: 1

      Wrong. Somewhere on a farm in Russia, a kindly old couple brings home an infant found lying abandoned in their burning field. They name him .

    2. Re:In unrelated news by a_hanso · · Score: 1

      Dammit. Slashdot eats Cyrillic characters. They name him http://www.meaning-of-names.com/russian-names/karolek.asp

    3. Re:In unrelated news by baddcarma · · Score: 1

      Karolek does not sound as a Russian name, Polish maybe?

  14. "Bay Area?" by Guppy06 · · Score: 1

    And which "bay" are we talking about, O summary?

    1. Re:"Bay Area?" by sabri · · Score: 2

      And which "bay" are we talking about, O summary?

      Usually that is the San Francisco Bay Area. Also known as Silicon Valley.

      --
      I'm not a complete idiot... Some parts are missing.
    2. Re:"Bay Area?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And which "bay" are we talking about, O summary?

      The smug one on the West coast.

    3. Re:"Bay Area?" by blackraven14250 · · Score: 1

      They mention California and Oakland, so it's the San Francisco Bay area.

    4. Re:"Bay Area?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And which "bay" are we talking about, O summary?

      The smug one on the West coast.

      But the West coast of what? Sicily? Japan? Nicaragua?

    5. Re:"Bay Area?" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And which "bay" are we talking about, O summary?

      I'll answer that as soon as you find me a major metropolitan area seriously and legitimately referred to as the "Bay Area" (without qualification) by its residents and the outside world alike OTHER THAN the San Francisco Bay Area.

      kiss kiss,
      The Summary

  15. Flare on a quadcopter by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Put a flare on a quadcopter far enough away in the sky and confuse an entire city!

  16. Re:Terrible Software by History's+Coming+To · · Score: 1, Funny

    Give it a week and there will be a patch that lets it run faster under Ubuntu/WINE than it does natively. Yes, I realise you're just trolling. Quis trolliet ipsos trolles eh?

    --
    Please consider this account deleted, I just can't be bothered with the spam anymore.
  17. Obviously its the martians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bombs don't unscrew!

  18. Re:Terrible Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Yes, I realise you're just trolling.

    Then don't feed the fucker or you end up being just as bad as they are.

  19. Well two reasons by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 4, Informative

    One is fraud/insurance issues. Accidents happen and in Russia there are major corruption issues with the authorities and such. Having video evidence is fairly necessary in many cases.

    The other? All the crazy shit that happens. When there's stuff like tanks driving across highways randomly and so on, might be a reason to record all of the goings on.

  20. I know what it was. . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Asteroids Unveil Proposal To Attack California Professors With Lasers

  21. Re:Terrible Software by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Nuke these trolls from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. There, I'm on-topic too.

  22. See, I totally called it. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Just as I said the other day, this one (russia), then another in another country soon after.
    If I get a 3rd, god damn, that's it, I'm taking to the mountain caves, I don't even care how insane people think I am.

    Asteroid and 2 meteors within the space of 3 days is not a good sign any way you look at it. Especially when one meteor blew up with the force of a small nuke in the sky and injuring thousands of people and buildings.
    NOPE, see you in the caves, fellow dorfs.

  23. The gp asked the wrogn question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The correct question was not is there *one* such video, as I know of one such case in another country (france). The question is whether such a scam happen more oftenn than in other countries.

    1. Re:The gp asked the wrogn question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's still a stupid question. The relative rate of incidence in Russia compared to elsewhere if it's still the reason why they have the dashcams. The question would only then be raised why DOESN'T the OTHER country have prevalent dashcams when it would resolve the problem?

    2. Re:The gp asked the wrogn question by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The correct question was not is there *one* such video, as I know of one such case in another country (france). The question is whether such a scam happen more oftenn than in other countries.

      Eh, I don't know about people tossing themselves in front of cars, although I guess it's a possibility. There are a variety of insurance scams run in the US regularly, most common is one where a rear-end collision is forced, followed by a fake neck injury.
      But from what I've been told by some exchange students, that explanation is the politically correct way of saying "To keep the police from shaking you down on trumped up traffic charges." Politically correct in that they aren't accusing the corrupt officials of corruption directly, and thus get to avoid losing body parts and keeping family members alive.
      Regardless, there is an unusually high percentage of Russian cars equipped with dash cams, and so we get a lot of good footage of things that would otherwise go un-recorded. The airplane which hit some cars on a highway not too long ago was a good example.

      As for the story, I'm all for scientific skepticism and all that, but when you have two large meteor events, right on the eve of a very large asteroid fly-by, it ought to raise some eyebrows and not just be hand-waved away. Unless someone can show some trajectory and/or composition information which rules out any likely association between these last two and the Big One, common sense says to assume there is some sort of relationship.

    3. Re:The gp asked the wrogn question by mikael · · Score: 1
      --
      Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
  24. Re:first by AndyKron · · Score: 1

    It's bad manners if you didn't bring enough for everyone.

  25. Sounds like meteor envy to me by crath · · Score: 1

    Why does everyone need to keep up with the Jones's?

  26. iWitness report by Anna+Merikin · · Score: 3, Informative

    I saw it through my car windshield while stopped at a traffic light at 18th and Valencia Streets in San Fran City; I have seen other meteors before and this was just like the rest, except for its bright, cobalt-blue trail.

    It dropped out of sight behind Twin Peaks; there was no boom that I heard, which makes sense to me as it seemed to be traveling fairly slowly across the sky about 45 degrees above the horizon -- or it was at very high altitude.

  27. Re:It's parts of the asteroid folks. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It is one thing to swing around to the other side of the planet, it is much more difficult to swing around and change what plane it is traveling in by almost 90 degrees, even if it was going much slower And the bigger asteroid 2012 DA14 was not within a thousand miles of the surface, it was closer to 17000 miles from the surface.

  28. Atmospheric Smug Fire by virb67 · · Score: 1

    It's most likely that the high concentration of smug that has accumulated in the middle atmosphere above San Francisco was ignited by static electricity.

  29. Re:Terrible Software by ArsenneLupin · · Score: 1

    Nuke these trolls from orbit. It's the only way to be sure. There, I'm on-topic too.

    No, just hurl a giant meteorite at them, after all they've 30 times more boom than the Hiroshima bomb.

  30. Probably from the Russian Bolide by rocket+rancher · · Score: 1

    Accordig to Phil, the objects observed in the US simultaneously with the Russian meteor can be explained by the Russian meteor being a bolide.