(meteorobs) Question

[Chris Peterson]

Most slow, bright meteors show green. It is by far the most common color 
reported. The current fascination (obsession?) with the color comes, I 
think, from simple repetition. It's like when you learn some new little 
fact, and then hear it repeated three times the next day. It seems so 
odd and coincidental, but it's just a consequence of our hard-wired 
pattern recognition system.

Chris

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

On 6/3/2011 8:47 AM, drobnock wrote:
> There has been much discussion of late about "green" meteors and
> fireballs. The phenomena of the green meteor historically became a rally
> point for observes in the 1940's under Lincoln LaPaz.  And the "red
> scare" of the 1950's. Now for the past year or so this colour green is
> quite popular. Why? What is the significance for observers to view green
> meteors? And can any one give an explanation about the composition of
> the spectrum of a "green" meteor as opposed to the spectrum analysis of
> a "bluish" fireball?
>
> George John Drobnock