Astronomers confirm sightings of meteorite '˜fireball'

Astronomers from all over the south have reported sightings of a meteorite '˜fireball' which startled a woman in the garden of her home.
Meteorite captured on camera by Horsham astronomer Ian Shaw SUS-180213-152702001Meteorite captured on camera by Horsham astronomer Ian Shaw SUS-180213-152702001
Meteorite captured on camera by Horsham astronomer Ian Shaw SUS-180213-152702001

Maggie Dellard was shocked when she spotted the meteorite ‘flying over Tanbridge School’ when she was in her garden in Pines Ridge, Horsham.

“It was a big ball of fire with a tail behind it,” she said. Now the Society of Popular Astronomy has confirmed sightings of the space debris.

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More than 100 people from all over the south of England, Wales and France reported seeing the phenomenon at around the same time - 10.35pm on January 31.

Horsham astronomer Ian Shaw SUS-180213-152650001Horsham astronomer Ian Shaw SUS-180213-152650001
Horsham astronomer Ian Shaw SUS-180213-152650001

And Horsham astronomer/photographer Ian Shaw even managed to capture an image of it on a camera that runs automatically every night in his observatory. “Unfortunately, the picture isn’t as stunning as some of them are,” he said.

Ian, a drone pilot, who also lives in Horsham, said there had been ‘quite a lot of reports’ of the meteorite on the night that Maggie encountered the astral spectacle.

Ian, a member of Horsham Astronomy Group, who says he has always had an interest in the stars, has captured many images which he has placed on his website: www.shawpix.com

Maggie, president of the Sussex County Women’s Indoor Bowling Association, first spotted the meteorite when she went outside to look at a ‘supermoon’ which was visible in the sky that night.

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