* Astronomy

Cobar and district farming areas to the north (Australia) were shaken last Wednesday evening by an unusual blasting event which left residents wondering whether a small earth tremor or mine cave-in had occurred.

The sudden explosion at 6.34pm was followed immediately by a loud rumbling noise, rising smoke and a strange cloud formation resembling a jet aircraft's vapour trail.

Police and emergency services in Cobar initially received reports from district landholders and travellers on the Kidman Way of an aerial explosion over the MacKay family's 'Yandilla Station' near the Merrieree Hills, 70kms north of the town.
Ambulance and fire units raced to the area but were unable to locate the source of the blast.
Cobar's Meteorology Station later reported the unusual incident probably involved a meteorite or fire ball exploding as it plunged through the atmosphere.

A meteorology spokesperson said the explosion and its after effects may have been caused by a meteor shower called the Southern Taurids which crosses the Earth's gravitational path on an annual basis during early November.

The MacKay family of ‘Yandilla Station' were eye-witnesses to the phenomena which occurred directly over their Kidman Way homestead and rattled every window in the recently renovated house.
Tammy MacKay told the Cobar Age she was pegging clothes when she heard a big bang overhead and then a crackle and fizzle noise.
She looked up to see smoke in the sky and called out for her husband and sons.
Dean MacKay said at first the family thought the noise like a sonic boom and smoke ring belonged to an aeroplane breaking up in the sky.

"The boys and I were in the house when it started to shake and the windows were rattling so we rushed out to see the big smoke ring. The house really did shake and I was surprised the sonic-type boom didn't break the windows - it was a really deep sound and very frightening. We rang the Cobar Police but the call was diverted to Bourke where they said they had already had a few reports"

Mr MacKay said he hoped a search of ‘Yandilla' would eventually turn-up some meteorite fragments or other evidence of the mid-air explosion.
Another eye witness was grazier Robert Neate of ‘Mopone Station' also north of Cobar.
Mr Neate who was working near his homestead dam said he heard a loud rumble at 6.34pm and looking up saw an unusual twisted cloud similar to an aeroplane's vapour trail and heard strange twirling noises like objects falling from the sky.

"At first I thought it was a mine blast but then I realised the noise came from the wrong direction. I must admit I did feel uneasy as I watched the event unfold"

Both the MacKay family and Mr Neate said the strange cloud formation was visible for nearly three hours.

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