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Bright Flash
updated: Oct 31, 2012, 8:25 AM

By Edhat Subscriber

Did anyone see the bright flash of light this morning? Happened around 6:23am and it was like lightening, lit up the whole sky.

Comments in order of when they were received | (reverse order)

COMMENT 337437P	2012-10-31 08:31 AM
It was a green flash or a white flash depending on whether you were beneath or above the fog. T' was a giant meteor passing overhead. Sent from Painted Cave.
COMMENT 337445	2012-10-31 08:39 AM
Yes! Did it come from over the ocean? It really lit up the sky!
COMMENT 337449	2012-10-31 08:48 AM
Saw it in goleta
COMMENT 337459	2012-10-31 09:06 AM
Yes! I saw it through my mostly closed eyes as I was waking up! What was it??? I thought it was a car passing from the road, but wasn't sure as that didn't really make sense!
EDHATBARBARA	2012-10-31 09:10 AM
I saw it too, in Carpinteria! What was it?
TISHERSELF	2012-10-31 09:30 AM
I saw it as well in E. Goleta. Looked like it came from the foothills of SB? I was walking the dog with a flash light. Come on DST. This dark is hard on us early people.
COMMENT 337481	2012-10-31 09:48 AM
I've been looking for information about this! I was running on Shoreline at 6:20 ish am and the flash of light was SO BRIGHT that we literally jumped then duck & covered. It was such a shock, I didn't know what to make of it. I kept thinking there was some type of transformer explosion or maybe a plane crash, does anyone know if a rocket was launched? Although, I've never seen a flash of light from a launch before... but I'm looking for any explanation. PS - Yes I noticed a greenish white tint to the flash, unlike anything I've ever seen.
COMMENT 337485	2012-10-31 09:55 AM
I too saw it. My view was to the west and it was so bright I expected to hear a sonic boom after. Like thunder. There was no noise -no explosion and it seems no explanation!
COMMENT 337486	2012-10-31 10:04 AM
It was The Great Pumpkin!!!
COMMENT 337496	2012-10-31 10:16 AM
Aha, I thought it was some passing car headlights on a neighbors driveway. Thanks for letting me know it was something far more than that.
COMMENT 337514P	2012-10-31 10:37 AM
Looks like the first poster, 437P, said what it was. Sorry I didn't see it.
COMMENT 337516	2012-10-31 10:39 AM
I was driving through Gaviota at that time and believe it was lightening because I also got a bit of rain on my car at the same time. There was only one flash.
COMMENT 337517	2012-10-31 10:40 AM
Yes, it was the Great Pumpkin! Or Howard the Duck, or an exploding oil tanker, or a space shark being launched by aliens into our ocean. Or a meth lab explosion. I'm very curious though! Do you think anyone will fess up to the knowledge of what that really was?
ROGER DODGER	2012-10-31 10:58 AM
Sorry I was lighting my morning bowl and I had alittle gas must have been the Zombie stew.
COMMENT 337525	2012-10-31 10:59 AM
fog lightning? strange indeed. Saw it, didnt know what to make of it... No thunder follow up. It was very BIG though that is for sure. I was at skaters point looking at ocean from truck. whole sky lit up.
COMMENT 337527	2012-10-31 11:02 AM
so, meteor, or lightning? Could've also been my bright white behind as I dropped my pjs for my morning shower...
MESARATS	2012-10-31 11:53 AM
I thought it was a transformer blowing on the Mesa, but not likely if seen that far. (Roger did your underpants catch fire in the dryer?)
COMMENT 337599	2012-10-31 01:56 PM
Above the fog line, in Painted Cave, I was inside so I just saw the windows light up. Neighbor was outside and watched a massive meteor pass over, heading south/southeast.
COMMENT 337631	2012-10-31 03:01 PM
It could NOT have been lightning. The atmospheric conditions (not only this morning but for days) could not have supported thunderstorm activity either here or for quite a distance around. The most likely cause was a meteor - on rare occasions, they can be dazzling. I saw one in 1996 from Goleta at around 1 am - having just gotten out my car - it came in from over the ocean traveling from southwest to northeast and it lit up the entire landscape including all the mountains brighter than daylight for a few seconds until it disappeared behind the mountains. The light was a "lavender" color - like a huge pink-tinged blindingly intense electric arc welder. Many people saw that one as well, and the only explanation that made sense was a meteor.
COMMENT 337637	2012-10-31 03:17 PM
"They" are coming. 12/21/12 is just 51 days away.
COMMENT 337641	2012-10-31 03:30 PM
One can report sightings to the American Meteor Society. Google the fireball report page. There are at least a dozen other reports of the amazing fireball over a wide range of southern california.
RLMCDON	2012-10-31 03:39 PM
I had just woken up and even though the blinds and curtains were closed, I thought I saw a bright flash outside! I chalked it up to being a bit groggy this morning! Edhat FTW!
ROGER DODGER	2012-10-31 03:45 PM
I'm drying my underpants right now so WATCH OUT! I saw it too thought it was a transformer..Hear a shot last night sounded like it was right next door.
COMMENT 337738	2012-10-31 07:24 PM
Several saw it in Buellton while boarding the Clean Air Express to go to SB. Thought transformer explosion or lightning, but no accompanying sound. Perhaps it was Paul?
COMMENT 337779P	2012-11-01 06:21 AM
Yes, saw it in the foothills of Montecito. I knew it couldn't be lighting, but what WAS it? Was it really a meteor that could have that kind of bright flash?
COMMENT 337783	2012-11-01 06:35 AM
It wasn't aliens, and the world isn't coming to an end 12/21.
COMMENT 337788	2012-11-01 06:49 AM
Could be Irdium Flares: This is sunlight reflecting off of the shiny iridium panels on a satellite   http://www.heavens-above.com/IridiumFlares.aspx?lat=0&lng=0&loc=Unspecified&alt=0&tz=CET
COMMENT 337860	2012-11-01 10:04 AM
Most likely a meteor. Often they produce the brightest light when they enter the heavier lower atmosphere laden with oxygen traveling at very high speeds and burn up before hitting earth. Many often appear to have a green hue or green trail with accompanying bright white combustion from minerals burning up within them.
THINKERBILL	2012-11-01 03:29 PM
Those of you who personally saw the happening (whatever it was), might report exactly what you witnessed. Just a suggestion on possible good citizenship. http://www.amsmeteors.org/members/fireball/report
COMMENT 338048	2012-11-01 03:38 PM
We were driving on the 101 south right along where the seawall hits the beach, no houses, no cars, no light and then the huge flash came from over the ocean, it was so bright, figured it must have been a meteor. AMAZING!!!
COMMENT 338066	2012-11-01 04:11 PM
International Space Station Flash updated: Oct 31, 2012, 5:56 PM By Edhat Subscriber International Space Station flash tonight and tomorrow: Location: Goleta, 34.4358°N, 119.8267°W Orbit: 402 x 424 km, 51.6° (Epoch: 31 October) from the website: heavens-above Date Brightness Start Highest point End (mag)-------Time-----Alt.--Az.--Time--Alt.--Az.---Time--Alt.--Az. 31 Oct -1.2 19:27:20 10° WNW 19:30:00 29° WSW 19:33:13 10° SSE 01 Nov -2.8 18:37:30 10° NW 18:40:52 62° SW 18:44:05 10° SE 03 Nov -0.2 18:35:39 10° W 18:38:05 19° SW 18:40:29 10° S
COMMENT 338157	2012-11-01 06:33 PM
Saw it as well looking towards the mountains. At first I thought it was lightning the way it lit up the entire sky.
COMMENT 338185	2012-11-01 07:52 PM
Yeah WOW! driving to work south on 101 by gaviota. Big flash for sure. Everyone hit their brake lights to look around but that was it, nothing more. Woke me up! A space station flash? will check that out. Thanks!
MACPUZL	2012-11-01 10:59 PM
No way an ISS "flash", and Iridium flares are short events that do not provide that much illumination. A meteor, natural or man-made space junk entering the atmosphere, would seem to be the most likely answer, especially since it was observed over a large area.
MACPUZL	2012-11-02 09:00 AM
Good report on Taurid fireballs at spaceweather.com today, Nov 2.

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