[AstroNet] UFO update - fom Oleg

[Claire Flanagan]

Subject:
In-Orbit Fuel Dump Ignites UFO Reports across southern Africa, western Indian Ocean

From:
"ASTRONOMICAL" <info at astronomical.co.za>

Date:
30 Sep 13 06:10 PM


To:
<astronet at mail.saasta.ac.za>

CC:
<jameseoberg at comcast.net>, <kgottschalk at uwc.ac.za>



Although we had very heavy clouds over Johannesburg last evening (but still no rain), I remember when I did go out around 19:00 I saw bright glow through the gaps in the clouds almost directly overhead and  didn't make anything out of it as if it was the Moonlight. But after receiving this e-mail I've realised, that there wasn't bright Moon !
Has anyone seen or photographed it?  Send your reports and images to news at astronomical.co.za<mailto:news at astronomical.co.za>
Regards,

Oleg
www.astronomical.co.za<http://www.astronomical.co.za/>



________________________________
From: James Oberg [mailto:jameseoberg at comcast.net]
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 5:30 PM
To: info at astronomical.co.za

Subject: In-Orbit Fuel Dump Ignites UFO Reports across southern Africa, western Indian Ocean

Oleg, this making the news out your way?

Feel free to quote and resend anywhere you like.

Jim O

----- Original Message -----
From: James Oberg<mailto:jameseoberg at comcast.net>
To:
Sent: Monday, September 30, 2013 7:31 AM
Subject: Falcon-9 Success -- In-Orbit Fuel Dump Ignites UFO Reports across southern Africa, western Indian Ocean

Jim Oberg advises:

1. The spectacular Falcon-9 launch from California yesterday morning was
a shot in the arm for American commercial space flight.

2. Quite by accident, it appears to also have boosted 'UFO fever' in southern
Africa and the western Indian Ocean.

3. An hour after launch, the booster's second stage released leftover fuel, a
standard space manoeuvre to prevent subsequent explosion of the rocket and
the creation of a new cloud of space junk.

4. This release by chance coincided with sunset beneath that part of the orbit,
as the booster and its deployed satellites flew from south to north directly over
Madagascar, about 850 miles high.

5. The fuel dump formed a hazy white sphere or halo seen at about 7 PM in
southern Africa [9 PM local  in the Mauritius and Reunion Islands further east].

6. First reports were posted by amateur astronomers, who merely expressed
curiosity as to the cause of the striking apparition.  See "Satellite with a bright halo".<http://satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2013/0281.html>
[scroll down to today's date on http://satobs.org/seesat/Sep-2013/index.html]


7. In Zimbabwe, the apparition was reported as a  "strange moon-like object".
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/18385-strange-moon-like-object-seen-in-mashonaland.html
Full story attached below.  A later story from South Africa stated "Social networks were abuzz on Monday morning with people from KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Free State, North West, and Gauteng claiming to have sighted the object."
It then quoted a local expert on the real explanation.
http://www.thenewage.co.za/108278-1021-53-UFO_just_a_rocket_expert
.
8.  Reports from the French island of Reunion, however, quickly championed the
'UFO' version -- see  https://www.facebook.com/974reunion
and http://www.lexpress.mu/node/236109
and "Des centaines de Réunionnais observent un mystérieux halo blanc dans le ciel"
[hundreds of Reunionners observe a mysterious white halo in the sky]

http://www.zinfos974.com/Des-centaines-de-Reunionnais-observent-un-mysterieux-halo-blanc-dans-le-ciel_a62171.html    [link includes video of the halo]

9. More level-headed discussion on 'Reddit' narrowed in on the Falcon-9 explanation, http://www.reddit.com/r/Astronomy/comments/1ne46k/saw_this_tonight_in_reunion_island_what_is_it/
and linked to several high-quality images of the halo by amateur observers on the islands.

10.  A similar phenomenon was seen over eastern Australia
on June 5, 2010, also caused by the second stage of a Falcon-9
rocket [from Cape Canaveral] dumping excess fuel.
http://www.universetoday.com/65935/spirialing-ufo-over-australia-was-likely-falcon-9-booster/


11. Rocket fuel dumps have been sparking UFO reports for more than fifty years,
since the birth of the space age and orbital flight. They often assume a spiral form
if the object is rotating. Halo clouds over Argentina from Soviet satellite boosters in the
1980s sparked major UFO panics in the region.

12. Yesterday's event and reports suggest that this unintended cultural 'spin-off'
of space exploration will continue into the future.

13. I just thought we all might be able to use a humorous distraction, today.

Jim O
281-910-0854



Strange moon-like object seen in Mashonaland
http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/zimbabwe/18385-strange-moon-like-object-seen-in-mashonaland.html

Staff Reporter<http://www.thezimbabwemail.com/author/Staff%20Reporter/>   Sep 29 / 2109 gmt

HARARE, Zimbabwe - There are reports of an unusual moon shaped object that flew across the sky between 7 and 7.15pm on Sunday evening.
Zimbabwe State media says it received calls from people in Karoi, Mashonaland West; Mt Darwin in Mashonaland Central and Mutoko in Mashonaland East provinces, all confirming having seen the object, which they described as bigger than the moon and moving from the east to the north.
People confirmed having seen the object from as far as in Botswana, South Africa and Malawi.
When contacted for comment, an official from the Meteorological Services Department said they can only comment after liaising with their officers in the respective places.


Claire Flanagan
Wits Planetarium
011-717-1390
086-521-4273 (fax)
www.planetarium.co.za<http://www.planetarium.co.za>


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