Nicaraguan Fall?

[David Entwistle]

There are numerous reports of a meteorite fall in Nicuragua. News reports contain images of a crater.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9i9tRYIrEt4
http://nuevaya.com.ni/2014/fuerte-explosion-y-temblor-se-escucha-en-managua/
http://www.laprensa.com.ni/2014/09/07/ambito/211067-meteorito-causo-explosion-managua
http://www.hoy.com.ni/2014/09/07/fue-un-meteorito/

The location is reported to be in a wooded area close to the airport in Managua, Nicaragua. (12° 8' 24.0" N 86° 10' 12.0" W).
The time is reported as 23:04 local on Saturday 6th September 2014 (05:04 UTC Sunday 7th September 2014).

There are a number of versions of a video that may show the meteor, but the timing between the flash and the blast is rather too close for me to be confident about them. If the video is correct, then the body remained luminous until close to the ground, implying it retained a large part of its initial cosmic velocity.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcKy4-rO-uI

The crater looks a lot like Carancas, which was thought to be a atypical impact event.

Corrections and additional information are most welcome.

[David Entwistle]

Now also reported by the BBC. Meteorite leaves crater in Nicaraguan capital Managua.

A small meteorite landed near the international airport in the Nicaraguan capital, Managua, on Saturday night, government officials say.

Residents reported hearing a loud bang and feeling the impact, which left a crater 12m (40ft) wide and 5m deep....

And an audio report here.

A meteorite that landed near the Nicaraguan capital Managua on Sunday could have come from the 2014 RC asteroid which was passing the earth at the time, experts have said....

[David Entwistle]

I have some reservations about this being a meteorite impact. What's the consensus?

[G0OXV]

Unless im reading the date wrong, the youtube indicates its July. I am suspicous about the impact crater it just doesnt look right. Im not sure about the burnt trees either. But is difficult looking at a photo. They also describe a cental up peak a feature in bigger craters usually.

[David Entwistle]

Unless im reading the date wrong, the youtube indicates its July. I am suspicous about the impact crater it just doesnt look right. Im not sure about the burnt trees either. But is difficult looking at a photo. They also describe a cental up peak a feature in bigger craters usually.

Yes, there are at least three versions of the same video, but the one I chose indicated the wrong date. All three were posted in the last few days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETF8a1f4fAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7BNN-61QTI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owu4kAXStnI

I agree that the trees, which look as though they have been dead for a while, and the cropped grass and the well-worn path don't add to the creditability of the report. My gut feeling is the report has nothing to do with a meteorite, but I'd like to be wrong.

[Mark Ford]

Sounds like something from the military base to me. Interestingly - There is also an active volcano not all that far from the airport!

[msg-meteorites]

Think it is going to be ordnance of some description. RPG incoming!

Cheers

Martin

[David Entwistle]

Yes, there are at least three versions of the same video, but the one I chose indicated the wrong date. All three were posted in the last few days:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETF8a1f4fAc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7BNN-61QTI
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Owu4kAXStnI

Of the three videos, the first has now been removed. All three have been identified as doctored versions of this video, dating from 11th July 2013 and from Los Angeles. So none of these videos are related to the events in Managua, Nicoragua; making a meteoritic explanation even less likely.

News report identifying the first video as a fake is here. I've added comments to the other two. The people who cobble together these fabricated videos are a nuisance and just waste time. It sometimes feels like there's more effort goes into confusing the issue that goes into understanding what actually happened.

[David Entwistle]

There's a follow-up report from Hoy (in Spanish) - nothing new, but it is clear that there is a considerable amount of concern about the event and a degree of scepticism about the official meteorite theory.

[David Entwistle]

I see google maps has now been updated indicating "crater meteorito", despite the lack of evidence of an impact....