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Re: (meteorobs) Re: Distinguishing Fireballs
>Note from Norman on the above. The following prompts my reply:
>>I have two questions.
>>Question 2: I am looking for visual ways to distinguish natural
>>meteoric fireballs from re-entering man-made debris fireballs. Does anyone
>>know references for this information?
>>Tom Ashcraft
>
>I second Tom's question! This topic has come up before on the meteorobs list,
>but the answers were somewhat inconclusive. These events are rare enough that
>this hasn't bothered meteor observers much. But there's actually now a quite
>practical reason for asking it again of a broader audience.
>
>Another related question:
>Question 3: Is there a reliable software application and/or internet source
for
>decay predictions? Meaning a program which scans two-line elements of many,
many
>satellites, and perhaps some other input data, and makes predictions of likely
>decay objects, times, and trajectories? (Magnitudes would be great too, but I
>wonder if there are any good models of burn intensity for decay objects yet?)
>
>Thanks in advance!
>Lew Gramer
A long-lasting leisurely meteor, usually 4 seconds minimum, and always
intense orange, I suspect is a reentry. I have been noting several of these
every year, and I have written records going back to 1969 or so when I first
became aware of them. Magnitudes are mostly 0 to 2. The object crumbles
into fragments as it goes, becoming a procession of orange sparks. I have
never seen one bright enough to make me believe a complete satellite came
down. So I must be seeing bits of space junk. At Florida latitudes the
number of these things must be greater than from further north.
In late August of 1973 I saw 3 reentries within one week in morning meteor
watches. During this period a major UFO flap was in progress over N Fla/S
Georgia, lasting a couple of weeks with hundreds of people reporting
"sightings" during the evenings. I saw nothing unusual from 150 miles south
of where this was going on. All I had was the reentries described above,
but in the morning hours. This period was very clear over Florida so any
sky events could have been easily seen, and the UFO buffs could crank up
their imaginations.
I was away recently, and now have numerous messages to look at. Been back a
few days but busy. We're going to Chicago next week and will return by
Atlanta for the closing fireworks. Got to see this: I like meteors,
fireflies, fireworks, night astronomy, anything that glows in the dark.
Only problem with Bertha around here was thick haze drawn down behind it.
Been very dry again; was raining when we left town. The haze cleared
abruptly, and I did some observing July 14/15 and next night. Rates better
the first night, up to 17/hr total rate in sky 7.2. Perseids are indeed
present at 1-3/hr mid-July. I can believe one as early as July 5, and they
are gone by about Aug 25. There's been several Alpha Caps also, had almost
none last year. Best meteor in 2 nights was an orange -2 that went 40
degrees in 4 seconds, came from deep NW. This was not a reentry: moving too
fast and body remained intact. Cloudy tonight so I'm getting some rest and
computer time in.
Norman