Asteriod or Comet over England/ Hertfordshire, Anyone else hear this?

I was in bed early this morning around 2.45 am GMT.

I always sleep with my window next to me open as i like the breeze blowing in my face.

Anyway, I always hear planes helicopters..but this morning was something alot different..

The noise this thing was making was nothing like i heard before, it was like a hurling noise ripping through the atmosphere. I have encounterd an astroid before, it was noisey but what i heard last night was alot louder.

I couldnt see anything as there was loads of clouds but i was aboslutley crapping myself.

I dont over react but after a few seconds of listening to it, i juped out of bed, grabbed my phone and though if this hits i have to be with my mum, so i went into her room... The noise died down and i didnt hear a bang lol..

It must of ripped through the atmosphere and back into space.....

Did anyone else here this?

I'm in croydon and i heard something, but i do get alot of helicopters over and i had my headphones on so i couldnt really tell a diffrence

reply to post by definity


Oh really. it was so wierd! it deffo sounds like something thats wasnt in control.....I dont think my heart raced so much in my life...

I am in watford, i hear planes all the time and heli's, this deffo wasnt one of them lol

I have encounterd an asteroid before

I think it's a safe bet to say that you have never encountered an asteroid. If you had, you wouldn't be alive to talk about it.

I don't know what you heard, but it was neither a comet nor an asteroid as both would be in space and as such don't generate any sound. If one entered the atmosphere we'd either be dead or watching the news right now! They would both be in orbit around the sun too so they would be trackable for months.

Meteors on the other hand are supposed to be noiseless, although many meteor watchers claim to have heard some of them make a 'ssssssssssssssss' type sound as they enter the atmosphere - I've heard this too. Other than that I can't help you.

reply to post by Mogget


Astoid/ Comet... what is the difference

reply to post by Insomniac


The ' ssssssssssssssssssssssss' noise it what i heard..

What i saw last year was an astroid/comet because it was on fire making a ssssssssssss noise.. and definatly not an controlled aircraft.

Originally posted by BloodSister
reply to post by Insomniac

 

The ' ssssssssssssssssssssssss' noise it what i heard..

What i saw last year was an astroid/comet because it was on fire making a ssssssssssss noise.. and definatly not an controlled aircraft.

That would have been a Fireball (also known as a Bolide) which is a very bright meteor. You're very lucky to have witnessed one.

The word bolide comes from the Greek βολίς (bolis) [14] which can mean a missile or to flash. The IAU has no official definition of "bolide", and generally considers the term synonymous with "fireball". The term generally applies to fireballs reaching magnitude −14 or brighter.[15] Astronomers tend to use "bolide" to identify an exceptionally bright fireball, particularly one that explodes (sometimes called a detonating fireball). It may also be used to mean a fireball which creates audible sounds.

Source

Asteroids and comets don't whizz throught the atmosphere, they orbit the sun. On the rare occasion one enters the atmoshere it causes massive damage. This happened in Tunguska in 1908 which is believed to have been caused by an impacting comet, although some scientists think it was an asteroid. There was a theory that it was a black hole passing through the Earth, but not many (if any) scientists believe that now.

Tunguska event

(Here are some nice images of fireballs

Originally posted by BloodSister
reply to post by Mogget

 

Astoid/ Comet... what is the difference

Simply put, a comet is a ball of ice (mostly) and an asteroid is a lump of rock.

Ohh i seee!

Thank you for clearing it up with me....

I am glad i know the correct term now lol