News (Adelaide, SA : 1923 - 1954), Wednesday 3 December 1930, page 5


LOCATING FIREBALL Between Wanbi and Wynarka That the fireball which darted across the sky a week ago fell somewhere in the country between Wanbi and Wynarka is the conclusion arrived at by Mr. G. F. Dodwell (Government Astronomer). He has based his calculations on reports—the most important he has received to date— from townships along the River Murray and in the South-East. He attaches great importance to infor-mation from Mr. H. F. Honeyman, of Ka-roonda, who gives a description of the ball of fire and the course it took—from north-west to east. He states that it disap-peared east of Karoonda. The after effects he termed as startling. He say that there was loud detonation, causing the houses and telephone wires to vibrate. A loud crackling and rending sound in the sky in the direction in which the meteor had disappeared followed, and then came a low rumbling like thunder, which gra-dually died away in the distance. East of Karoonda "Karoonda is 100 miles east of Ade-laide," said Mr. Dodwell, "and from the description of Mr. Honeymoon it is evi-dent that the meteorite fell greatly east of Karoonda." Mr. H. Tucker, of Jabuk, also refers to a heavy rumbling sound which came from the north-west and caused the dogs to bark. At Wanbi, which is on the Karoonda-Loxton line, an exceptionally loud and alarming noise, like an earthquake, was heard two seconds after the passage of the meteorite. The noise lasted 40 se-conds. From Wynarka (40 miles south-west of Wanbi) comes a report that a similar noise was heard. In addition, the houses shook. The noise sounded like the distant rumbling of thunder at Mannum, where it was heard five of six minutes after the fireball was seen. "As sound travels ap-proximately a mile in five seconds this would indicate a distance of about 60 miles between the origin of the sound and Mannum," reasoned Mr. Dodwell. Compression Waves The Government Astronomer said that he had been advised from Coonalpyn that the fireball had been seen a few degrees north-west of north. A few minutes after a noise like the rumbling of thunder was heard. "Evidently," he said, "the fireball is in the country between Wanbi and Wyn-arka." He thought that the noise was due to compression waves caused by the passage of the meteorite through the atmosphere, and the impact of the object with the ground. "When further reports with compass bearings are received," concluded Mr. Dodwell, "a more exact location may be given."