I believe that the astronomers were at the Cal Tech radio telescope array in the Owens Valley. The Owens Valley is a very dry environment East of the Eastern face of the Sierra Nevada range. NASA would need to triangulate the videography done at Owens Valley with the videography in Nevada to evaluate if it is the same piece.
Since the orbiter is 50-60 miles high at that point, it is entirely possible that the two videographers noted the same event. Where was the videographer in Nevada?
NASA would need to triangulate the videography done at Owens Valley with the videography in Nevada to evaluate if it is the same piece. Yes, I would think the Owens Valley photos might have exact time of the first sighting of debris falling off which would be needed for triangulation from the boys video (who were in Wupatki National Monument (NE of Flagstaff) in northern Arizona). The boys video only has time from the camera, which seems to coincide with NASA tempature off scale low. Wouldn't they need exact times for triangulation?
On another note, Justa (in post 87) says the plume is steam. If that is the case then that was a large chunck of ice/TPS, and may account for the (seeming) deviation in trajectory.
Comments?