(meteorobs) Chris of Cloudbait Observatory.YourthoughtsonN.M.10/09 Fireball....?

[Chris Peterson]

With saturated pixels (as we usually see with fireballs), the apparent size 
of the meteor image can be used to get a reasonable estimate of magnitude, 
assuming some sort of calibration has been performed, or a reference is 
available. In the case of Tom's video, it is evident that the meteor is 
similar in appearance to the Moon which is also in the field, probably not 
more than a few magnitudes brighter. A flash as bright as the Sun would have 
filled the entire frame with white, and there would have been no detail at 
all in those frames.

I can't think of any physical or instrumental process or artifact that would 
allow for this meteor to actually be much brighter than the Moon.

Chris

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


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Larry" <ycsentinel at att.net>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 7:44 PM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Chris of Cloudbait 
Observatory.YourthoughtsonN.M.10/09 Fireball....?


> Thank you Chris for responding.
>
> I certainly agree on the two distinct processes of reduction.
>
> One of the Articles on ablation modes I was reading was under a search of
> Bolide emission is titled  "Radiation Study of Two Very Bright Terrestrial
> Bolides...."
>
> The URL is too long but it is an Icarus Abstract, Volume 121, Issue 2, 
> June
> 1996 pages 484 to 510.
>
> Incidently, I believe we agree that camera and substrate characterization 
> is
> an intensity variable along with meteor physical size, surface area of
> photographic capturing(apparent nearness) of a luminous object are just 
> some
> of the variables which can show a Sun bright object as a less luminious
> object, and wall-to-wall saturation is not a good estimator of Sun Bright
> either.