View source for Astronomy:2015 Thailand bolide

{{Infobox event
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| date                     = {{start date|2015|09|07}}
| time                     = 08:41 local time (01:41 [[UTC]])
| place                    = Kanchanaburi, Thailand
| coordinates              = {{coord|14.5|98.8|region:TH_type:event|display=inline,title}}
| also known as            = 
| cause                    = meteor<br>Impact energy: 3.9 [[Physics:TNT equivalent|kiloton]]<br>Radiated energy: 1.798 TJ<ref name=jpl/>
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[[File:SmallAsteroidImpacts-Frequency-Bolide-20141114.jpg|thumb|Bolides that disintegrated in the Earth's atmosphere worldwide, 1994–2013]]
On September&nbsp;7, 2015, at about 08:40 [[Time in Thailand|local time]] a [[Astronomy:Bolide|bolide]] meteor appeared over Thailand and burned up approximately 100&nbsp;km (62&nbsp;mi) above the ground.<ref name="cnn">{{cite web | url =http://edition.cnn.com/2015/09/07/asia/bangkok-fireball/|title=Watch this Dash-Cam Footage of a Mysterious Fireball Blazing Over Bangkok|publisher=CNN| date=September 7, 2015| access-date =September 7, 2015}}</ref> The meteor briefly flared up producing a green and orange glow before disappearing without a sound of explosion and leaving a white smoke trail. The meteor was recorded by several [[Engineering:Dashcam|dashcam]]s during the morning rush hour in [[Place:Bangkok|Bangkok]],<ref name="cnn"/> and sightings were also reported in Thai towns of Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Ratchasima.<ref name="bp">{{cite news | url =http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/683596/mysterious-fireball-sighted-over-bangkok|title=Fireball hurtles over Thailand |work=Bangkok Post| date=September 7, 2015| access-date =September 7, 2015}}</ref> The meteor was visible for about four seconds before fading out. As of September 8, 2015 no strewn field has been found. The impact energy was the largest of 2015 at 3.9 [[Physics:TNT equivalent|kiloton]].<ref name=jpl>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130306210754/http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/fireballs/ Fireball and Bolide Reports] (JPL)</ref> The last impact this large was on 23 August 2014 over the Southern Ocean.<ref name=jpl/>

==Identification==
The object was initially believed to be FLOCK 1B-11 satellite which was due to burn in the atmosphere about that time<ref name="bp"/> or a crashing aircraft.<ref name="time">{{cite magazine | url =http://time.com/4024251/fireball-bangkok/|title=Watch this Dash-Cam Footage of a Mysterious Fireball Blazing Over Bangkok|magazine={{wipe|Time (magazine)}}| date=September 7, 2015| access-date =September 7, 2015}}</ref> However, because the object travelled in the direction opposite to the east–west axis of artificial satellites, it was identified by the Deputy Director of Thai National Astronomical Research Institute, Saran Poshyachinda, as "an asteroid"<ref name="cnn"/>{{efn|"Asteroid" may have been a mistranslation.}} and as a meteor by the president of the Thai Astronomical Society Prapee Viraporn.<ref>{{cite news | url =http://www.bangkokpost.com/vdo/thailand/683700/meteor-explosion-captured-by-netizens|title='Meteor explosion' captured by netizens|work=Bangkok Post|date=September 7, 2015| access-date =September 7, 2015}}</ref> The object was also identified as a meteor by the Chachoengsao Observatory astronomer Worawit Tanwutthibundit.<ref name="time"/> Tanwutthibundit, who witnessed the event, estimated the object's speed at nearly 50 miles per second before disintegration.<ref>{{cite web | url =https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11848168/Mysterious-fireball-caught-on-camera-blazing-over-Bangkok.html| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150907224645/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/thailand/11848168/Mysterious-fireball-caught-on-camera-blazing-over-Bangkok.html| url-status =dead| archive-date =September 7, 2015|title=Mysterious 'fireball' caught on camera blazing over Bangkok|work=The Telegraph| access-date =September 7, 2015}}</ref> A similar explanation was suggested by the former member of [[Astronomy:Hubble Space Telescope|Hubble Space Telescope]] team, Phil Plait, who said that "it was almost certainly a good-sized rock burning up in our atmosphere".<ref name="bp"/><ref name="plait">{{cite journal|last1=Plait|first1=Phil|title=Video of an Extremely Bright Fireball over Bangkok|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2015/09/07/bangkok_meteor_daytime_fireball.html|journal=Slate|date=7 September 2015 |access-date=7 September 2015}}</ref> According to Plait, the object may have had a steep angle of entry.<ref name="bp"/>

Sound from the meteor was reported in three districts of Kanchanaburi Province: Thong Pha Phum, Sai Yok and Si Sawat.<ref name="nm">{{cite web| url =http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webmobile/national/Exploding-meteor-sends-social-media-into-a-tizzy-30268361.html| title =Exploding meteor sends social media into a tizzy| publisher =Nation Multimedia Group| date =September 8, 2015| access-date =September 8, 2015| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20160604052112/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/webmobile/national/Exploding-meteor-sends-social-media-into-a-tizzy-30268361.html| archive-date =June 4, 2016| url-status =dead| df =mdy-all}}</ref> Governor of Kanchanaburi Province Wan-chai Osukhonthip ordered police and Sai Yok National Park rangers to search Wang Krachae and Bong Ti subdistricts in Sai Yok District for meteor debris.<ref name="nm"/>

The [[Organization:National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand|National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand]] gave a press release on 14 September, estimating that the meteor was about 3.5 metres in diameter with a mass of 66 tonnes, entering the atmosphere at 21&nbsp;km/s and having maximum brightness at 29.3&nbsp;km altitude. The impact energy was equivalent to 3.5 kilotonnes of TNT; its trajectory was 269.8 degrees, with an impact angle of 45.4 degrees. It also estimates that meteorite remnants may have fallen around the area of Sai Yok National Park.<ref>{{cite press release|title=สดร. เผยหลักฐานล่าสุด ลูกไฟจากวัตถุขนาด 66 ตัน พุ่งชนบรรยากาศโลก เหนือฟ้าที่กาญจนบุรี|trans-title=NARIT: evidence reveals fireball caused by 66-tonne object impacting atmosphere over Kanchanaburi|url=http://www.narit.or.th/index.php/pr-news/2236-fireball-september-2558-narit|date=14 September 2015|publisher=National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand|access-date=3 October 2015|archive-date=4 October 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151004111118/http://www.narit.or.th/index.php/pr-news/2236-fireball-september-2558-narit|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Other 2015 bolide events in Thailand==
A previous bolide event was recorded in Thailand on March 2, 2015, and was also seen in Bangkok.<ref>{{cite web | url =http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/487694/updated-strange-white-light-in-bangkok-sky-with-video|title=UPDATED: Strange white light in Bangkok sky (with video)|work=Bangkok Post| date=3 March 2015| access-date =8 September 2015}}</ref>

On 2 November 2015, a dramatic green fireball lit up the night sky over Thailand as it streaked past and exploded.<ref>[http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/fireball-thailand-1.3299766 Green fireball explodes over Bangkok]</ref><ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/meteor-bangkok-thailand-bolide-a6718571.html Meteor spotted burning above Bangkok sky for the second time in recent months]</ref><ref>[http://vejret.tv2.dk/2015-11-03-ny-kaempe-ildkugle-eksploderede-over-bangkok Ny kæmpe ildkugle eksploderede over Bangkok]</ref>

==Notes==
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==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==

{{Modern impact events}}
{{2015 in space}}

[[Category:Meteoroids]]

{{Sourceattribution|2015 Thailand bolide}}