(meteorobs) question(s) about fireball magnitude

GeoZay at aol.com GeoZay at aol.com
Sun Jul 10 11:52:55 EDT 2011


>>What is the biggest contributor to the magnitude of a  fireball?

Is this mass or velocity or a combination of both?

Are  there other factors?>>
 
Well...both mass and velocity effects magnitude.  Also the location of the 
observer in regards to the meteor. If the meteor  appeared low on the 
horizon, the magnitude will appear dimmer due to the light  being reduced by the 
atmosphere. This is called magnitude extinction. This  effects the meteors 
magnitude quite a bit. For example, a 0 magnitude meteor  right above the 
observer could appear 2 magnitudes dimmer to an observer that  sees it 25 
degrees above the horizon. Another observer who see's the same meteor  10 degrees 
above the horizon will see it 4 magnitudes dimmer than the observer  who saw 
it right above his head. If yet it appeared to another observer who  see's 
it 1 degree above the horizon, it will appear 9 magnitudes dimmer...in  this 
case he probably won't see it at all with the naked  eye.
George Zay


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