(meteorobs) Re: Extremely Fast Meteor

Robert Lunsford lunro.imo.usa at cox.net
Tue Nov 9 11:47:49 EST 2004


Kenneth and All,

Your description of the path seems to indicate a Taurid meteor. Taurids 
though, are not swift meteors with a maximum angular velocity of only 17 
degrees per second. At that time of night my rough calculations show the 
maximum angular velocity of ANY meteor to be near 23 degrees per second. 
This is fairly swift when compared to the average angular velocity of 5-10 
degrees per second of meteors seen that time of night. Meteors seen just 
before dawn can approach 40 degrees per second.

If your meteor was indeed 12 degrees long then its duration could be no less 
than one half second. My feeling is that the actual length was shorter 
(estimating true lengths is not easy and easily overestimated!) and that the 
duration of the meteor was a quarter second or less. This adds up to be a 
sporadic meteor.

I hope this helps!

Robert Lunsford


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Kenneth Drake" <kdrako at txucom.net>
To: <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Monday, November 08, 2004 9:13 AM
Subject: (meteorobs) Extremely Fast Meteor


> Observing from the backyard Friday night (Nov.5) around 20:30 cst (Nov. 
> 6.1 UT) under very clear skies 53 miles north of Houston Texas I was 
> treated to a large number of sporatic meteors. One caught my attention due 
> simply to its velocity. It was between 2nd and 3rd magnitude, white and 
> had a ~12 degree track moving westish along the 
> Cassiopia/Lacerta/Cepheus/Cygnus border. It had the velocity of a Leonid 
> and I would not have even seen it if I had not been gazing at that 
> location. It seemed far to early in the evening to be a Leonid or a 
> Northern Apex member. Also, much to fast to be an early evening sporatic.
>
> I'm having difficulty figuring what it might have been. Any ideas on this?
>
> Kenneth Drake
>
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