(meteorobs) Difference between Bolides and Fireballs -OT

[George Gliba]

stange34 at sbcglobal.net wrote:
> Might I suggest that Bolide be used to describe a meteorioid that is 
> characteriized by an exceptionally long duration and apparent size of 
> ablation?
>
> This would automatically include the impactor concept because it would take 
> both size and duration to achieve a terrestrial disturbance.
>
> And further, it would satisfy the physcial size gap between mm size 
> meteoroids and those mass sizes that are described as asteroids.
>
> Under this definition, the massive fireball in New Mexico witnessed on film 
> by Sandia 1 & the Radio Observatory would be a Bolide. Our typical filming 
> and observation of lessor events would be Fireballs regardless the explosive 
> ablation or meterite fall-out.
>
> Just a thought. -YCSentinel
>
> .
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "jeffrey wilson" <smellystinkbug at yahoo.com>
> To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
> Sent: 2008/06/13 06:58
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Difference between Bolides and Fireballs -OT
>
>
>
>   The difference betweeen a fireball and a bolide is a bolide and a fireball 
> is that a bolide is a meteor which may or may not burst into flames; a 
> fireball is also a meteor whcih bursts into flames; it also may come out of 
> a roman candle on the 4th of July!
>
> Jean-Louis.RAULT at fr.thalesgroup.com wrote:
>
>
>   
>> -----Message d'origine-----
>> De : meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
>> [mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org]De la part de
>> stange34 at sbcglobal.net
>> Envoyé : vendredi 13 juin 2008 09:46
>> À : Global Meteor Observing Forum
>> Objet : Re: (meteorobs) Difference between Bolides and Fireballs -OT
>>
>>
>> There are to many different ways sound can be produced to use it as a
>> definition.
>>
>> a) Earth impact.
>> b) Ablation detonations.
>> c) Electrophonics.
>> d) Any of the above, and whether heard or not would be an issue.
>>
>>     
>
>
> May I suggest that c) is still a speculative assumption ?
>
> Regards
>
> Jean-Louis Rault F6AGR
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>   

    I think that a bolide is any meteor that has a terminal burst; it 
need not
be a fireball. I have seen 2nd magnitude bolides!

    In a somewhat unrelated topic, I wrote-up my meteor observing experences
for last weekend at:

http://gac.gsfc.nasa.gov/Nebula/jun2008.htm

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