Posted on 06/17/2004 8:34:50 PM PDT by BenLurkin
A METEORITE reportedly the size of a house fell on the NSW south coast overnight, exploding in a bright flash, police have said.
A driver on the Hume Highway shortly after 9pm (AEST) near Menangle reported an object the size of a house falling from the sky.
The object fell east of the Hume Highway, possibly in an escarpment near the top of a hill at Bulli, police were told.
The meteorite was described as glowing silver in colour and similar to an artillery shell when it exploded with a bright flash on impact.
Workers at the Sydney Airport Tower said they saw a meteorite about 9pm, police said.
No other reports were received by police and extensive police patrols of the area for more than an hour did not turn up the space debris.
"We went out to check if it was something bad, like a plane," said a police spokesman.
"However we didn't find anything - there was no bloody great rock sitting in the middle of the highway, anyway".
Police intend on talking to the original witness again later today in an effort to pinpoint the impact site, but admit that unless someone literally stumbles over the meteorite, the chances of finding it are slim.
Thing probably was 50-60 miles away and may never have hit the ground. Eyewitnesses reports of fireball meteors invariably believe it was "very close" and "landed beyond the next hill" even if it was a long way away. It's a powerful optical illusion.
It's the result of global warming. The Bush Administration is at fault....
Whole Lotta Shakin' Going On - Not!
The fact that he described it as being "house sized" is meaningless as well. Objects in the sky are notoriously difficult to judge for distance or size since there is nothing to use for reference. Ever notice how the moon sometimes looks huge and other times it seems very small?
Was it the size of a basketball a mile away, or the size of an apartment building 70 miles away (from the witness).
Hillary's backside lands back on earth........
No the bloody great rock" was 800 feet under the middle of the highway!
Someone is trying to perpetuate the Aussie Bloke hoax; this being the notion that between the 18th and 20th of June a large meteorite will hit the Earth. This will be followed by two others and trigger massive apocalyptic changes and the near-destruction of mankind.
"It's a powerful optical illusion."
I saw a good size meteorite several years, north of the Indianapolis area, which I would have sworn was just on the opposite side of the city. However when I latter read news reports the thing hit in eastern Ohio.
There is some dude claiming that the world is ending on Sunday with a huge meteor falling on the earth.
Looks pretty big to me. 8^)
That was the same guy who couldn't even spell "his" name.
"Size of the house" would mean some 100 tons, probably more. If the thing did hit the ground there would be quite a crater; if it exploded in air, it would still level the things on the ground for a few miles. Since neither is reported, it ought to be believed that it was much smaller.
Just how big (small) are houses in Menangle?
We have a FReeper that goes off on that kinda kick. I'm not naming names though and he isn't on this thread yet.
And they say the housing market is not going to crash.
Turns out it wasn't a meteorite, it was just michael moore wearing silver latex attempting to do jumping jacks.
"That was the same guy who couldn't even spell "his" name."
Oh, I missed that part. I read a thread about this yesterday and two others which it referenced it. Very entertaining!
I always thought it wasjust retaining water.
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