Physics:piner (07/13/82)
Early this morning I observed a rather common event from a rather uncommon distance. While driving from Lafayette to Muncie, Indiana, I saw a meteor and it was very close. My best estimate is that it struck the earth less than five miles from my car. It is unusual to see one that close, and it is also unusual to see one for several seconds. Meteors usually pass high over head and are visible for only a fraction of a second. This one was very low in the sky and moving relatively slowly. When I first saw it, I thought it was a left over rocket from the fourth of July. It took me a while to realize what it was. The colors were unlike any meteor I have ever seen before. Usually a meteor leaves a bright red or orange trail. This one left a trail of green, blue, orange, yellow, and red. The colors were very bright. The trail was very distinct. It was so close, I could see parts of it coming off as it fell. This brings me to my question. Was this indeed a meteor, or was it space junk? My astronomy is a little weak, but I thought meteorites were mostly iron, and sometimes carbon, and very little else. These elements never glow green! Copper will, when burned in air, make a green flame. Other elements will make other colors. This is how they make those pretty rockets for the Fourth in fact. Does anyone know if a meteor can make such unusual colors or does this mean what I saw had to be space junk? Any comments? Richard Piner Physics, Purdue