Watch: WTF space junk burns up in earth's atmosphere

[Disir]

A mysterious object hurtling toward Earth on Friday the 13th was plenty of fodder to provoke superstitious speculation.

Fortunately, for space observers who serve as sentinels of the skies, it was hardly a surprise, or matter of luck, when a chunk of debris dubbed WT1190F burned up in Earth’s atmosphere early Friday morning over the southern coast of Sri Lanka. Astronomers, who caught the brief fireworks show on camera, knew a rendezvous with the so-called ‘WTF’ hunk of space junk was imminent weeks ago, but some news outlets still couldn’t resist getting “mysterious UFO” in a headline.

WTF Was It?
WT1190F was believed to be a discarded rocket booster about 6 feet in diameter, according to scientists’ calculations. The Catalina Sky Survey at the University of Arizona first observed the hunk of junk back in 2013, and observers spotted the object again on Oct. 3, according to the European Space Agency. Given its size, WT1190F wasn’t expected to pose any danger to people on Earth.
WATCH: 'WTF' Space Junk Burns Up in Earth's Atmosphere - D-brief

The amount of space debris is unbelievable.

 

[waltky]

Did Chinese missile or satellite crash in Burma?...

Mysterious metal debris crash-lands in northern Myanmar, state media report
Sat, Nov 12, 2016 - A large metal cylinder thought to be from a Chinese satellite or aircraft fell from the sky and slammed into a jade mining area in northern Myanmar, state media reported yesterday.

The large barrel-shaped object, 4.5m long and just over 1m in diameter, crashed onto property owned by a jade mining company in Kachin State’s Hpakant township on Thursday, the English-language Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported. Another smaller piece of metal bearing Chinese writing tore through the roof of a house in a nearby village at the same time, the paper said. No one was injured.

ORIGINS

“The metal objects are assumed to be part of a satellite or the engine parts of a plane or missile,” the paper said, adding that authorities were still trying to confirm their origin. Photographs circulated on social media showed what appeared to be pieces of technological equipment and wiring attached to the inside of the vast cylinder.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang before the hunk of metal landed and then proceeded to bounce about 50m across the mining area before coming to rest in the mud. The bizarre events came the same day Chinese state media reported Beijing had recently launched a satellite into space. “It could not be confirmed whether the launch of the satellite and the metal objects found in Kachin State were related,” the paper said.

Mysterious metal debris crash-lands in northern Myanmar, state media report - Taipei Times

 

[anotherlife]

Disir, your avatar is very artistic, super excellent.

Also, can such space debris actually hit someone on earth?

 

[my2¢]

Disir, your avatar is very artistic, super excellent.

Also, can such space debris actually hit someone on earth?

I recall the anticipation of Skylab crashing to Earth. There were I Brake for Skylab bumper stickers, Skylab repellent, and other novelty items being sold before the big day. Chunks of it were found in Australia.

The Day Skylab Crashed to Earth: Facts About the First U.S. Space Station’s Re-Entry - History in the Headlines

 

[anotherlife]

Disir, your avatar is very artistic, super excellent.

Also, can such space debris actually hit someone on earth?

I recall the anticipation of Skylab crashing to Earth. There were I Brake for Skylab bumper stickers, Skylab repellent, and other novelty items being sold before the big day. Chunks of it were found in Australia.

The Day Skylab Crashed to Earth: Facts About the First U.S. Space Station’s Re-Entry - History in the Headlines

Skylab repellent? I love that one!

 

[ThunderKiss1965]

Disir, your avatar is very artistic, super excellent.

Also, can such space debris actually hit someone on earth?

I recall the anticipation of Skylab crashing to Earth. There were I Brake for Skylab bumper stickers, Skylab repellent, and other novelty items being sold before the big day. Chunks of it were found in Australia.

The Day Skylab Crashed to Earth: Facts About the First U.S. Space Station’s Re-Entry - History in the Headlines

I was 9 around the time it was supposed to reenter and was very fascinated by the whole thing. My grandfather gave me a hardhat with the words come on Skylab written on the top of it.