Mystery of the Bright Green Meteor: Is it Common?

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    Green Meteor Mystery
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SUMMARY

The bright green meteor observed over Denver, Colorado, was actually the decaying body of a Soyuz U rocket, not a meteor. This event occurred on the morning of January 4th, 2007, around 6:20 am MST, and was characterized by witnesses as a "brilliant, slow, twinkling, sparkly" display. While many meteors can appear green due to ionized oxygen emissions, the specific incident in Denver was attributed to a man-made object re-entering the atmosphere, causing no damage but providing a spectacular visual experience.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of meteor composition, specifically nickel and iron.
  • Knowledge of atmospheric re-entry phenomena.
  • Familiarity with the Soyuz U rocket and its missions.
  • Basic concepts of ionization and its effects on light emission.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the atmospheric re-entry of space debris and its visual effects.
  • Learn about the composition and characteristics of meteors and fireballs.
  • Investigate the history and missions of the Soyuz U rocket.
  • Explore the science behind ionized gases and their color emissions in the atmosphere.
USEFUL FOR

Astronomy enthusiasts, space science students, and individuals interested in meteorology and atmospheric phenomena will benefit from this discussion.

interested_learner
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I saw a bright green meteor yesterday. What would cause a meteor to be bright green? Is this common?
 
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Any chance you're from Colorado?


DENVER FIREBALL: Something from space disintegrated over Denver, Colorado, this morning around 6:20 am MST (1320 UT). Witnesses describe it as "brilliant, slow, twinkling, sparkly and full of rainbow colors." It was not a meteor. The fireball was the decaying body of a Soyuz U rocket that launched the French COROT space telescope on Dec. 27th. The re-entry caused no damage on the ground--just a beautiful display in the sky. More: news video, ground track, amateur photo.

http://spaceweather.com/

http://www.livescience.com/blogs/2007/01/04/russian-rocket-dazzles-the-skies-above-colorado-wyoming/
 
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No Arizona and it was in the evening.
 
Many meteors are green. Perhaps even most, by my personal experience. I'm speculating, but the green color may actually be emission from ionized oxygen...

Most meteors are composed principally of nickel and iron, but I honestly don't know what the "flame test" colors of these metals are.

- Warren
 

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