UPDATE: As Kevin pointed out in the comments yesterday, an initial response from the U.S. Naval Observatory said it was caused by a Russian rocket re-entering the atmosphere (more specifically, the booster from Soyuz docking with the ISS on Saturday). The United States Air Force, however, thinks otherwise. A representative from the Joint Space Operations Center, the org who tracks all the junk in our skies, told WTOP that whatever it was, it was ‘not a man-made space object’.
I am also reminded of a fireball recently streaking across the Austin skyline. I am safe nowhere.
Someone called into Elliot in the Morning an hour or so ago wondering if anyone had heard reports of what he experienced last night in Virgina Beach. He stated that around 9:45pm the sky went green, there was an audible boom and that the air pressure suddenly dropped, causing pain to dogs and people alike. He went on to say that reports were flooding in from North Carolina all the way up to Maryland, but the general consensus seems to be that the event originated in southern VA.
This article at the Richmond Times Dispatch cites the National Weather Service and local Suffolk County police spent the night investigating “reports of great balls of fire landing on the ground”. One commenter on the article eerily notes, “there were sounds like bending metal.”
Look to the skies.
KEEP WATCHING THE SKIES.
Howard Hawks called it.
and as for that line of theorizing, i have one catchphrase-type reaction that i believe sums up my opinion pretty perfectly:
“man, i wish a motherfucker would.”
Peter wants the world to end SO badly.
Could this be the start of the zombie apocalypse I have been betting on/hoping for? I think I’m gonna change my name and occupation to Frank West and photojournalist respectively, just to play it safe.
If you had to pick a way for it all to end, would you choose space zombies (i.e. NIGHT OF THE COMET) or more “organic” zombies (i.e. DAWN OF THE DEAD).
@MattW – I hope not, I haven’t built my survival vehicle yet (be on the lookout for a cheap Mercedes Unimog…thanks).
Sorry, I just realized I totally misused “i.e.”
It should be “e.g.”
I hate it when I do that.
…I live in Southwest Virginia. I’ll keep an eye out and keep you guys posted if it starts spreading inland from the coast.
Either that, or I’ll be among the first eaten. Whichever.
“Fire rains down…fire rains down…the fourth world comes to an end.” The Reclamation is at hand. (hmmm…and to think that song features the waves of Virginia Beach…conicidence????)
It was a Russian rocket that re-entered the atmosphere.
Don’t worry, Birdy, I think you’re safe. Southwest Virginians are born with rifles in both hands, right?
Brian, definitely space zombies. Definitely.
Well that’s disappointing, Kevin.
Meh, I like the organic zombies. If the apocalypse comes I look forward to dressing like an extra in The Road Warrior…wait, I’m a goddamn Oakland Raider fan, I look like that on a daily basis.
It’s OK guys. I’m sure the US Air Force has already recovered the crashed alien craft. When Conficker C goes live tomorrow it will trick the aliens into thinking the ship is returning from it’s recon mission. Then Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum can fly the crashed vessel right into the mother ship and set us up the bomb.
“We will not vanish without a fight! We’re going to live on! We’re going to survive! Today we celebrate our Independence Day! ” – President Thomas Whitmore
Sweet our Independence Day will be a old pagan holiday!
i just know i’m going to be INCREDIBLY disappointed when somebody makes a big story about this on wednesday and it turns out to be a joke.
I think we’re screwed either way, really–if it isn’t aliens, it’s the Russians. Ain’t that always the way?
Also, in my case, born with a shotgun in one hand, and a rifle in the other. Have to have something for when whatever you plan on using it on gets close, after all.
Its now time to watch Night of the Comet once again. Man i cant wait for the day when the human race is reduced to the red dust of their dried blood.
Russians…that would be cool, just like Red Dawn baby, speaking of which, I wonder when the remake of that is coming.