Catch a Falling Star

Posted by Kelly Whitt Oct 27, 2007

On Thursday night, October 25, I had been out looking for Comet Holmes again, as I had been the night before. Being outside, away from lights with my eyes adjusted to the darkness and looking up can certainly give me better odds of seeing a meteor than at any other time. However, sometimes you catch a beautiful meteor just by chance.

A half hour later, I was sitting inside at my home in Wisconsin, with the lights off, watching TV with my husband. It was sometime between 9 pm and 10 pm. I happened to glance out my window that faces north and see a stunning sight. A "star" was gliding down from the heavens. It did not look like a typical meteor in that it did not move that quickly and couldn't be colorfully described as a "shooting star". But it did move fast enough that I had only enough time to call out before it was gone.

The bright point of light moved more at the speed of something falling, and moved in a bit of an arc, curving ever so slightly counterclockwise as it escaped my view below the treeline. I only saw it fall for a full second as it traced out about 10 degrees or less of the sky.

I don't think anyone could have mistaken the meteor (or possible space junk?) as a UFO, although with some people, you never know. I haven't heard any reports of the meteor that I saw and don't suppose I will. My husband didn't see it and it's possible no one else did. But if you think you did, let me know!