April 14, a memorable day

As it happens, this year's anniversary of my birth was remarkable not only for the many memorable events of years past but also for three that occurred during those twenty-four hours.

Item One

A giant green Nighttime fireball came crashing down through the atmosphere over Wisconsin and neighboring states at 10:07pm or thereabouts.

This shows the meteor as it begins to enter the atmosphere.

{image captured around 10:07 p.m., April 14 by a camera mounted on the northwest corner of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus}

This shows the dazzling flash as the object burnt up.

{same source}

This comes from a video recording made (inadvertently) by the dashboard camera of a police vehicle in Howard County, Iowa.

{source: AP, Youtube}

This photo is given by a blogger; since it lacks photo credit and bears little similarity to other images, I doubt its validity.

{source: styleblips.com}

Here's the video.

{caption: Midwest/Meteor/Fireball - Howard County Sheriff}

There's another video, taken in Milwaukee, on the WISN TV website:
Meteor Lights Up Skies

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Item Two

An Icelandic volcano under the icecap at a place called Eyjafjallajokull had minor activity in March and then erupted in a major way last Wednesday -- as everyone must know by now since the ash cloud has severely disrupted air traffic across Europe.

The Big Picture has a bunch of good photos, including this one:

{source: Big Picture on Boston.com}

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Item Three

China suffered a mag. 6.9 earthquake high on the Tibetan plateau. Boston.com reports that "thousands of wood-earth buildings collapsed and many larger structured heavily damaged or destroyed. The region is difficult to reach for the response teams of the Chinese government outside aid groups - lying at an elevation of 3,700m (12,000 ft) and connected by few roads, most of which were damaged in the quake. Chinese state media now says the death toll has risen to 1,144. Rescuers continue to search for survivors as homeless residents work to recover what they can and set up shelter from the freezing overnight temperatures." The Big Picture has photos of this disaster as well, including this one:


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See also:

Fireball lights up Midwest, April 15

Soaring meteor lights up skies across the Midwest, April 15

Meteor fragment lands in UW-Madison geoscience department, April 16

Eruption of Eyjafjallajökull Volcano, Iceland

Icelandic Eruptions May Disrupt European Air Traffic for Months

Eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajokull Volcano on April 14, 2010

2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull

Official and grassroots relief groups rally in wake of China earthquake, April 16

China quake death toll 'passes 1,000', April 16

China races to the rescue, April 16

Chinese Premier Visits Tibetan Quake Survivors, April 16