Shooting star?? 25th Oct

Hi All,
I'll try not to make this like something from the X-Files but hopefully someone can help me out here as I've been checking out the web all day in an effort to get some answers!!

When I was driving home last night I saw something in the sky and I'm just wondering if anyone could help me identify what it was please? I did check out the board here to see if I could spot anything but it looks like I'll have to start my own thread.

Right, the details, and apologies, I don't have any of the terminology as my experience in astronomy is going outside with a pair of binoculars once every 6 months to see the space station pass over or something: it was about 7.30-7.45pm, I was driving roughly west and the object passed right across in front of me. It looked like a shooting star from a cartoon with a huge long, wide tail following it. It probably took less that 10 seconds to pass out of sight and was travelling roughly south to north and fairly low in the sky. At first I though it was an airplane it was so bright but it was travelling much too fast. Can't really give too much more info because I was driving and trying to keep on the road
Does anyone know if there was a satellite burning up or a meteor or something scheduled to come down last night? I'm curious to know what it was because as I say, it was like something from a cartoon it was so bright and well defined! Maybe this is a common enough occurance but I must say I was impressed.
Thanks,
Barry

I heard (third hand) of some one seeing this (or similar) last night about 7:20 to 7:30. I will check for the exact details but I think it was observed in the north Kerry/ West Limerick.

Oh yeah, forgot to say that: I was on the road between Limerick and Adare so that would be the right area alright. I also checked what time I left here at and it was probably earlier than I originally said. I'd say about 7.30 would be correct. Looks like I wasn't imagining things anyway! Thanks again.

Hi Barry,
I know you were actually driving, but can you guestimate the kind of speed you saw this? I mean, space junk entering and burning up in the atmosphere really only had a top speed of 17,000 mph to begin with. Whereas a meteoroid-type object would have probably had anywhere between 70,000 and 150,000 mph speed. Did you notice any stars with which you could describe it went from there to there?

If Michael finds out those other sighting details, this could get interesting!

Seanie.

Hi Seanie,
as I mentioned in my first post, I'm afraid I'm not really that knowledegable about these things but I'll give you whatever info I can. Looking at the mapquest I was travelling just barely south of due West at the time and I first spotted it when it was pretty much straight ahead of me and maybe up about 30/35 deg up from the horizon I would say. In about 10 seconds (again, a guess it may have been slightly more) it had disappeared over the horizon to my right hand side, I would say about 60 deg around from where I first spotted it if this makes sense. Maybe someone can work out the rough speed from this?

Barry, You proabaly saw a gemuinr 'fireball' there, hoe about colour? These are either small pieces of space rock or space debris form satellites and such, and they are relatively rare to see one as they are such short lived too.

They are some sight though!

Keith..