(meteorobs) Unusual Fireball Time correction

[Malcolm J. Currie]

> If the Moon is illuminated the half (last quarter or first quarter) the
> inferior brightness and 4 times to the Full Moon, therefore it would have to
> be of mag -11 approximately (4 times more faint is equivalent to 1.5 mag).

Roberto, there are other factors besides pure area.  There are more
shadows away from Full Moon.  The albedo varies with sun/phase angle.
It's analagous to the cat's eyes phenomenon.  At Full Moon it's close to
0 sun angle (0 would be a lunar eclipse), and the light bounces
directly back, but much less is reflected sideways during a partial
phase.  Try searching the web for lunar retro-reflectivity (or
possiblyHeiligenschein) for details.

Malcolm Currie