(meteorobs) Modest Mexican Fireball

[MexicoDoug at aol.com]

Yes, it was miodest, but my first obsevation ever, and the excitement still 
hasn't worn off!  As I couldn't get the IMO form to work I am posting it here 
in hopes that someone else can submit it for me.  Thanks.  Doug

DATE, TIME AND LOCATION 2004-05-18
Date of the fireball:  (year), (month),  (day)
 
Time:  (hour),  (minutes),  (seconds)   

23:02 CDT (GMT-5)

Location (town, country): Santa Caterina, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
 
If possible provide coordinates from a topographic map 
Longitude: 100°33'30" W 
Latitude: 25°41'30" N
 

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FIREBALL PARAMETERS

Apparent path:

earth-based coordinates: 
(North=360°, East=90° ...) 
Beginning point elevation (40°)   Beginning point azimuth (280°)  
Ending point elevation (20°)   Ending point azimuth (240°)  

or relative to stars
Trail position relative to stars:  Radiated from Cancer 
Apparent angle to horizontal:  35°

Description:
Apparent magnitude:  minus 5

Duration:  5 full seconds 
Color(s):  reddish orange
Trail:  no
Fragmentation:  no
Persistent Train:  no

Angular Velocity: 7°/s or  Scale:  medium (though the slowest I have ever 
observed)

Sound:  none heard

Observer's name: Douglas Dawn 
Address:  MexicoDoug at aol.com
PLEASE, DON'T FORGET YOUR E-MAIL! 


Was wrapping up after observing Comet 2001 Q4 NEAT, nicely in a sky with a 
limiting magnitude of about 4, where the comet was about this magnitude, though 
not quite visible to the naked eye.  As I sketched the star field around the 
comet and made the last double checking a beautiful fireball moving quite slow 
by meteoric standards streaked across the sky from eith Cancer or just below, 
and appeared as a bright oval reddish orange ellipse with a diameter about 
twice long as fat and the long diameter about 0.1 or 0.2 degrees in length.  
Unfortunately the observation point was at the intersection of the 
Monterrey-Saltillo highway with the more western of the two routes to Garcia, and many 
trailer trucks passed by, thus it is possible there was a sound (over the continuous 
noise pollution) which was not heard over their ruckus.
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