(meteorobs) Meteorobs should make decision.

[Chris Peterson]

Professionals use words like anybody else, some with formal IAU 
definitions (meteor, fireball), and some without (bolide). English is 
the language of science, and many words may be formally defined only in 
English, although widely accepted translations may exist. Most 
professionals make some effort to use formally defined terms as much as 
possible in publications, but even that doesn't always happen, 
especially where there is disagreement about terminology ("planets", for 
instance).

In the end, it doesn't really matter much, since any communication 
attempting to convey something of importance, using a single word 
without further qualification, is seriously flawed. "Bolide" is multiply 
defined, and not formally defined within meteoritics at all, but I've 
never found myself particularly confused by its occasional usage.

Chris

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


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roberto G." <md6648 at mclink.it>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 15, 2008 7:41 AM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Meteorobs should make decision.


> I agree with Rainer, I think that the word "fireball" it's a 
> sub-category
> of the word "bolid" (all fireballs are bolids but not all bolids are
> fireball).
> We must remember too that the professionals not utilise the word 
> bolid,
> for they all meteor phaenomena are only "meteors".
> Best greetings.
> Roberto Gorelli