What was seen (Meteor/UFO/ ?)

My wife and I were driving home from dinner, we were about 2 blocks from our home when we stopped at a stop sign we both instinctively looked up at the sky and saw something that kind of took us aback.

Details:

8:13pm, Allentown, PA - Facing South - Bright white object traveling at about a 30degree downgrade with a slight arch to it. Behind it was a small tail that was orange/green - it was in the sky for about 2-3 seconds before just disappearing. The sky got slightly brighter at that moment and it was gone, a small puff of smoke left behind where we saw it. After that point there was a smell in the air almost of a wood engraving gun being left on too long -- it was everywhere.

I'm thinking a meteor, but something felt different about it. I checked a few places no one reported Meteors or anything yet. I just want to get a feeling for if anyone else in the area saw the same thing?

reply to post by stevenreanimator



Sounds like you saw a meteor that was most likely heavy in copper that was burning up in the atmosphere. Copper burns a greenish yellow and if you smelt it maybe it made it close to ground in your area...might be worth a bit if any did touch down though.

it look like this?

reply to post by stevenreanimator


I did not see anything myself, but this morning, 1010 WINS radio station in NYC reported that people in Lichfield, CT saw an object falling to Earth with a greenish tail. Then Brian Williams reported meteor activity on the NBC nightly news just a few hours ago, EST.

Not sure, maybe it was meteors. Interesting how the media was able to put out an explanation so quickly....food for thought. Just saying..

Originally posted by NYCbeliever
reply to post by stevenreanimator

 

I did not see anything myself, but this morning, 1010 WINS radio station in NYC reported that people in Lichfield, CT saw an object falling to Earth with a greenish tail. Then Brian Williams reported meteor activity on the NBC nightly news just a few hours ago, EST.

Not sure, maybe it was meteors. Interesting how the media was able to put out an explanation so quickly....food for thought. Just saying..

Yes, I'm always skeptical when the media has an explanation so "at the ready". I find it very suspicious.

It sounds like a bright meteor or fireball to me.

It's not uncommon to see various colours including green and orange, which are both very common.

The American Meteor Society Fireball FAQs

And, no, green in meteors likely has nothing to do with copper. I wish people would stop repeating this misconception and do some research before posting.

Especially in the case of fast meteors, the green colour is usually at least in part due to oxygen. Leonid meteors, being very fast (for meteors) make a great example: The colours of photographed meteors

It's also the case that a bright meteor will leave a persistent or "smoke" train, that usually soon dissipates/fades, but can linger on for a long time in some rare cases.

Here's a short animation of a Quadrantid meteor and it's persistent train, taken by Mike Hankey last year.



There are actually a few different types of meteor train/trail/wake - check this link for the definitions.

Also, it's not uncommon to see a bright meteor or fireball that is not reported formally. They happen all the time.

Likewise - not every meteor is the same, and some can seem unusual. With so many variables affecting how a meteor can appear, that is not surprising.

As for the smell, that may have been a coincidence, albeit an odd one. Alternatively, we don't have all of the answers when it comes to meteors at this point in time. We know that they can produce a VLF signature which can cause an observer to hear simultaneous sounds along with the appearance of the meteor it's thought. There might be a similar mechanism that triggers an observer to experience a smell - although I must admit I don't remember reading a similar report like this in nearly fifteen years of reading them.

See:
Listening to Leonids
Electrophonic Sounds from Bolides

Was report posted here at ATS of a UFO sighting in Florida yesterday...with footage...not certain what direction it was traveling and heading at around sunset...

Originally posted by earthinhabitant
Was report posted here at ATS of a UFO sighting in Florida yesterday...with footage...not certain what direction it was traveling and heading at around sunset...

If you mean this thread, the footage posted there is of a distinctly red object (probably a jet-contrail as I pointed out) which was visible for well over a minute, whilst the OP here describes a "white object traveling at about a 30degree downgrade with a slight arch to it. Behind it was a small tail that was orange/green - it was in the sky for about 2-3 seconds".

Perhaps it's just me, but I don't see the connection?