“The sky is the daily bread of the eyes.”
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Easter Bunny has come and gone. Hopefully the rain has not taken the same path and disappeared down the “rabbit hole.” One would assume only the homes of small children would be on the Easter basket delivery list. By some fortunate mistake our address was never deleted. That being the case, I was privy to a rare and spectacular Easter Eve event.

The weather was ideal last Saturday for egg hunts with hunters enjoying the outdoors and gazing into the clear evening skies. As mentioned, the Easter Bunny still visits our house; therefore, a last minute late night errand was necessary in preparation for the following day’s celebration. After all, you can’t have your 25, 27 and 31-year-old children disappointed, right?

What a drag, I thought … but so be it.

It was a lovely evening from the perspective of the Vons parking lot. I glanced up just at the right moment to see a bright object moving across the sky. My first impression, based on size and light intensity, was that is was an airplane. The flight pattern was a bit concerning as it moved slowly and downward toward the southern horizon. Just short of meeting the level of the San Rafael Mountains, it suddenly vanished. Alone and in awe, I felt privy to a rare heaven-sent gift; it appeared to be more than just an ordinary falling star.

By Easter morning, fog rolled in leaving sunrise services not so sunny. Predictions for warm weather prompted our first barbecue of the season. While we stuck with our plans, out of the closet came various jackets for our guests; the evening was chilly, with scattered clouds. Thankfully, the previous evening had been clear.

Time to figure out what I had seen. After researching, I concluded it was a very bright meteor or small fireball. According to NASA, springtime in the Northern Hemisphere is prime “fireball season” with a 30% increase in sightings. The reasons are (from what I could ascertain) are due to the Earth’s position in space and where the stars appear to converge in the sky. Take a look at American Meteor Society online for more information … fascinating!

The recent rain showers brought our season total to 15.31 inches. Meteorologists aren’t in agreement concerning the upcoming days. A little warmer with high clouds are certain, but a coastal eddy is moving up and an upper low is coming down the coast.

Some say these conditions indicate rain and while others call them a “paper tiger.”  Let’s say rain!

Sue Kilpatrick is a

Crescenta Valley resident and

Official Skywarn Spotter for the

National Weather Service. Reach her at  suelkilpatrick@gmail.com.

  Sue Kilpatrick