Astronomers: Meteor Not Part Of Geminid Meteor Shower

By Stan Bush

DENVER (CBS4) - Astronomers say a meteor that lit up the sky over Denver Thursday night is a mystery.

"I look over and I see two dots still falling through the sky. At first I thought maybe an airplane was crashing or something but then it disappeared and there was nothing after it," says Jean Voight, who was on a late night walk when she say the meteor.

Thursday was the last day of peak viewing for the annual Geminid Meteor shower, but scientists do not believe the fireball was part of that.

"It's pretty bright and early for the Geminids. They peak at 2am this was 8 o'clock in Denver," says Samantha Sands at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

Cameras across the Front Range recorded the event. NASA is reviewing the material.

Astronomers at Cal Tech estimate the meteor entered the atmosphere near Larkspur and traveled northeast toward Washington County around 38,000 mph. Scientists say based on the angle the meteor entered the atmosphere it is possible fragments of the object survived.

Astronomers are hoping to study the angle the meteor entered the atmosphere to determine if it is from the asteroid belt near Jupiter, Mars, the moon or somewhere else.

"If any piece were to fall we could find out where it from based on what it's made of," says Sands.

Stan Bush is a general assignment reporter at CBS4. His stories can be seen on CBS4 News at 10. Read his bio and follow him on Twitter @StanBushTV.