Stargazers in Dandaragan gathered in the Community Centre on Friday, April 24 for a special talk from meteor hunters Professor Phil Bland and Dr Gretchen Blendix.
Professor Bland spoke to the enthused crowd about his work, the hunt for meteorite fragments and the astrological connection to the area through the Yallalie Meteorite Crater just north of Dandaragan.
During the night Professor Bland revealed the updated possible landing area for fragments from the meteorite that came down over WA last month.
It is now thought that any fragments are to be found just south west of Watheroo.
“We’ve been talking to the local farmers who are seeding right now to keep an eye out,” Professor Bland said.
“Its continued to look like an interesting fireball so we’re keen to get our hands on it even a tiny speck.”
“If it’s a doable area then we’ll get out and look.”
Over the past month, Professor Bland and the Fireballs in the Sky team have been conducting laser surveys of all the sites from where video was shot of the fireball.
Using this they’re hoping to pinpoint the trajectory of the meteor in a three dimensional view.
The team have been stitching together the videos of the fireball submitted by the public to get a composited view.
Initial observation pinpointed an area south east of Moora but this has been shifted with further analysis.
With more videos coming in Professor Bland said more surveys and video analysis would be conducted to confirm a possible search location.
An exhibition of the Fireballs in the Sky team’s work is set to come to Dandaragan on May 19 showing the science and technology behind meteor hunting.
Also during the night Galaxy Girl from the Stargazers club WA took the attendees on a tour of the night sky on the oval after the talk.
Stargazers were able to view the Southern Cross, Jupiter with its moons were aligned and a globular cluster Mega Centauri.
