OTD In Space – August 10: 'Great Daylight Fireball' Zooms Over North America
- 9 months ago
On Aug. 10, 1972, an Earth-grazing fireball burst through the sky over North America.
It didn't hit the ground, but instead it passed straight through the sky. The fireball entered the atmosphere somewhere over Utah and passed northwards, leaving the atmosphere over Alberta, Canada about 100 seconds later. Analysis of its trajectory showed the object was about 10 to 45 feet in diameter, depending on whether it was an icy comet or a denser, rocky asteroid.
It didn't hit the ground, but instead it passed straight through the sky. The fireball entered the atmosphere somewhere over Utah and passed northwards, leaving the atmosphere over Alberta, Canada about 100 seconds later. Analysis of its trajectory showed the object was about 10 to 45 feet in diameter, depending on whether it was an icy comet or a denser, rocky asteroid.