So last night a Russian satellite burns up over Waikoloa… And I miss it!!
Some of my friends and co-workers did not, asking me what it was this morning after personally witnessing it. There are videos all over Facebook. I am so envious!
The satellite was Cosmos 1315, a Russian signals intelligence mission launched in 1981. It re-entered just west of the Big Island about 11pm HST last night.
I have embedded a video below, the language is more than a bit rough, a few f-bombs. The language goes to illustrate just how dramatic the event was. Aside from the unfortunate choice of vertical format, the video is surprisingly good.
Several items stand out in the video… The giveaway that it is man made is the very slow speed of the object, not the high speed typical of most meteors. You can also see the satellite coming apart, fragments breaking away. Larger meteors can also do this, breaking up upon re-entry.
The guy (I believe Chris Jardine) identifies the object as a meteor, a good guess. I first thought meteor when I saw the video. I received word a bit later from Steve Cullen who passed along a link to information on the satellite. The gal thinks comet? We need to do more public outreach and education around the island!
Share this:
