Have been reading reports of many brilliant observed fly ins lately. One in NY State, another out West (if am recalling correctly) Colorado and have been others have forgotten, am certain. Certainly is a lot of rock floating around out there. Am remembering something from last year regarding two objects (quite large) headed in from the southern area of sky. Have not been back to check on those objects and that report may have been a hoax. When they come in though, am agreed they are spectacular! Remember one coming in when was about nine years old and living on the East Coast. Lit up the outside as if it was day. WoW! What a rush! Was near nine p.m. but the light was, as you said spectacular from the object passing in the sky.
We have ISON incoming. There is a possibility it is not just a single object, but could be a cloud of stuff. No doubt it’s close approach to the sun will manage to bust a few pieces lose...
And I have been trying to find orbital Java diagrams, as best as I can determine, Earth will pass DIRECTLY through it’s outgoing debris field in January.
Happy New Year!!