(meteorobs) Difference between Bolides and Fireballs

[Ed Majden]

	Sometime back, I asked Jiri Borovicka to do a paper on some meteor  
related issues.  It does not cover this topic but should be of  
interest to meteor types.  It was published in the JRASC in 2006, and  
is download-able from the NASA/ADS service on the web.  The paper  
reference is:  2006JRASC-100---194 B.pdf  The paper covers  
nomenclature for, trials, trains, paths etc., summarising the light  
phenomenon after the passage of a meteor.
Ed Majden
Courtenay, B.C. Canada


On 12-Jun-08, at 4:32 PM, meteoreye at comcast.net wrote:

> I don't believe there is any official IAU definition for Bolide,  
> Fireball, or even Meteoroid.
>
> If you can show me otherwise, I'd appreciate it. I've been looking  
> for years.
>
> All definitions I've found are not official or even closely  
> defined, so by definition, are not definitions! :)
>
> Wayne
>
> -------------- Original message --------------
> From: "Chris Peterson" <clp at alumni.caltech.edu>
>
>> "Bolide" is an undefined term- or rather, it has multiple  
>> definitions.
>> It is sometimes used to describe a fireball that explodes somewhere
>> along its path, especially if sounds are produced. It is more  
>> commonly
>> used to describe a crater forming body. The former is most often  
>> used by
>> meteor watchers, the latter by geologists and those who study  
>> craters.
>>
>> Personally, I never use the term at all. A bright fireball is  
>> simply a
>> fireball, regardless of whether it appears to explode. "Bolide" is  
>> too
>> uncertain in meaning, and too likely to cause confusion. IMO, the  
>> term
>> is best avoided.
>>
>> Even though "fireball" has an IAU definition, it is also somewhat  
>> vague,
>> depending on whether the magnitude is given as apparent (this is  
>> the IAU
>> definition), or as absolute. If you really want to be clear, always
>> qualify "meteor" or "fireball" with the type of magnitude given,  
>> as well
>> as characteristics such as fragmentation or sound.
>>
>> Chris
>>
>> *****************************************
>> Chris L Peterson
>> Cloudbait Observatory
>> http://www.cloudbait.com
>>
>>
>>