[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Being really bright and trailing plasma plumes looks impressive, but can be a normal part of the re-entry, *before* anything went wrong.

True enough. But pieces of debris or possibly protective heat shielding tiles coming off and trailing the orbiter is not. That's what needs to be looked at. Hopefully this astronomer can provide some good info to NASA. Hopefully investigators will interview him and not blow off his account.

[Dan Day]

True enough. But pieces of debris or possibly protective heat shielding tiles coming off and trailing the orbiter is not. That's what needs to be looked at.

But again, note that NASA has specifically mentioned that seeing "bright blobs" falling behind the shuttle as it re-enters is something that is seen even during normal re-entries, as the plasma around the shuttle builds and then "blows" off as it travels.