[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

(meteorobs) meteor colors

In a message dated 96-10-04 19:15:07 EDT, you write:

<< Ron asked:
 >Can anybody out there tell me what significance the colors have.  Does it
 >mean that they are a particular composition, and if so, does it tell us
 >anything about their source?
 >
 >Any information on these matters would be appreciated.
  >>
-----------------
Ron,
I believe most meteor colors perceived by anyone is a combination of an
individuals   own vision for whatever biological reasons and that of various
air molecules in the atmosphere excited by a passing meteor to give off a
specific color...for example, Greens has been suggested to be the color given
off by the oxygen atom and blues the nitrogen atom.  The greens given off by
various fireballs look very similar to the Northern Lights green that is so
predominant with this phenomena.  For the most part, colors for meteors of
magnitudes +2 or dimmer will register white or yellow.  This is probably due
to two major reasons.  One is that a meteor of +2 magnitude or dimmer doesn't
have enough energy to excite a significant number of oxygen, nitrogen  or
atoms of other elements to be perceived by a human eyeball that consists of a
lesser number of color receptors(cone cells) than black and white perceiving
rod cells.  For me, unless there is some very dominant color present, I will
see mostly white.  I don't consider a meteor having the color of yellow
unless it is overwhelmed with a color similar to gold. Thus, I see only a few
yellows each year. 

As to a meteors color telling you about a meteor's source...well, I think it
will tell you very little...mainly since there are so many interpretations of
what color an individual will see. I also suspect that some colors are an
indication of a meteors velocity...that is, it personally seems to me that I
see most of my oranges (or reds) for relatively slow meteors. Maybe some
colors are a function of the light being filtered out because of that
particular meteors entry angle in relation to the observer...thus giving
something similar to that is seen at sunsets where we will perceive the
oranges and reds? I haven't read this anywhere...but just a hunch. Of course,
there is probably some colors given off that may as well represent the actual
meteors composition. Useful or not, noting colors is interesting all the
same.  
George Z.
Follow-Ups: