The presented video is based on the recordings of astrocamers installed in Idaho. On July 28, 2022, they recorded a very unusual meteor. The duration of its flight was about 40 seconds.
Meteors are a characteristic luminous trace that occurs when celestial bodies burn up in the earth’s atmosphere (accordingly, unburned fragments that reach its surface are called meteorites). The average duration of such events is about 1.5 seconds. All the more striking is the 40-second meteor from Idaho.
According to astronomers, the event in Idaho was caused by the so-called “touched” meteor (meteor grazer). They occur when a celestial body enters the earth’s atmosphere at such an acute angle that it passes through it tangentially and then returns to space again without burning up completely.
The most famous meteor touched is the Great Daylight Fireball of 1972. It was an asteroid with a diameter of 3 to 14 meters, which entered the Earth’s atmosphere over the state of Utah on August 10, 1972. Its flight lasted 100 seconds. During this time, the asteroid flew about 1,500 kilometers, after which it returned to space. According to various estimates, during the visit it decreased by a third or even half. The event was so bright that it could easily be seen in the daytime sky, for which it got its name.
You can also read our article explaining why the famous Perseid meteor shower is gradually weakening.
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