(meteorobs) Setting Sun Magnitude?

[Ed Majden]

on 3/14/05 7:40, GeoZay at aol.com at GeoZay at aol.com wrote:

> 
> Pete>>I think a full moon is about -12 or -13 so a setting sun  would have to
> be many times brighter.<<
> 
> I thought that at first, but then recalled being able to look at the  sun as
> it set came to mind. For some reason I think a -20 sun would be too  brite for
> me to look at?
> 

    Much of this depends on the clarity of the atmosphere, haze, dust etc.
Sunspots have been seen on the setting Sun under some circumstances so it
could not be that bright.  One estimate has this fireball at -10.0
magnitude.  Certainly not as bright as the 3 June 2004 fireball which turned
night into daylight for s second or two.  I haven't seen any security camera
videos of this type for this fireball so I expect it was not nearly as
bright.  Brightness estimates are difficult at best when it comes to these
bright fireballs.  A photo or video is needed to be certain and even that is
not 100% accurate.

Ed Majden