(meteorobs) Difference between Bolides and Fireballs -OT

[Chris Peterson]

> Can anyone in good concience really deny all the big continent 
> crossing
> fireballs, Peekskill, New Mexico, and other similar large events 
> should not
> be described as Bolides?

Yes. We aren't a standards defining organization here, so at best, our 
usage is informal. As you created the above sentence, you could have 
safely (but unnecessarily) used "bolide", since you also said "big 
continent crossing". But if you used "bolide" more abstractly, or 
without supporting context, I would not really know what you meant. So 
for myself, I'll stick with "meteor" and "fireball", neither of which 
are likely to be misunderstood in a way that substantively changes the 
meaning intended.

I would not even use "bolide" for Earth impactors, unless I was making 
it clear with additional words that I actually meant an object impacting 
the Earth with cosmic velocity.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: <stange34 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Friday, June 13, 2008 12:46 PM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Difference between Bolides and Fireballs -OT


> Not withstanding all that has been said by others,
>
> To be useful to the meteor community, the term Bolide should be 
> weighted on
> the QUALITVE side by a generalized yet distinctive definition, not 
> specific
> parameters of measure or a detail which inhibits its use.
>
> Otherwise, a highly technical description, or specific quantative 
> measure
> would restrict the term to only those that can make near absolute 
> measure
> and prevent the use of the term by most observers. Additionally, too
> technical can bog it down & prevent any definition at all in a timely 
> manner
> by IMO.
>
> Can anyone in good concience really deny all the big continent 
> crossing
> fireballs, Peekskill, New Mexico, and other similar large events 
> should not
> be described as Bolides?
>
> Unless we decide Bolides are earth impactors only... we need to keep
> everything on a reasonable & practical level by definition because our 
> use
> of "Fireballs" to describe the appearance of more ablation than a 
> meteor
> streak, is a self-explanatory term not having further need for clearer
> understanding to convey the thought.
>
> Keeping it simple will be of more practical use I think. -YCSentinel