Meteor Was Headed for Sequoia, Expert Says
The meteor that caused a bright green flash in Southland skies Thursday evening probably landed in the Sequoia National Forest north of Lake Isabella if enough survived to reach the ground, according to meteor researcher John Wasson of UCLA. Previous reports had indicated that it probably landed much farther north of Los Angeles, but Wasson’s estimated landing site is based on triangulation from more than 60 different sightings.
The best evidence, Wasson said, came from students and teachers of Flintridge Preparatory School in La Canada, who were camping along Lower Peppermint Creek in the forest, which is northeast of Bakersfield. The group heard the sonic boom caused by the meteor and saw the flash of light that normally means the meteor has reached dense air and has slowed enough to fall straight down.
Wasson said the meteor probably weighed at least one kilogram (2.2 pounds), but he was not sure if enough survived to reach the ground. Only about 10% of the meteors that enter the atmosphere actually strike the Earth’s surface.
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