Re: (meteorobs) Bolides

• To: meteorobs@latradedot com
• Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Bolides
• From: Stop Light Pollution! <GLIBA@grossc.gsfc.nasadot gov>
• Date: Fri, 6 Dec 1996 8:48:39 -0500 (EST)
• Reply-To: meteorobs@latradedot com
• Sender: owner-meteorobs

At 09:43 05/12/96 GeoZay wrote:

>Does anyone know what makes a Fireball become a Bolide?
>
>I at one time found one source that refer
red to Bolides as being Fireballs
>that produced sonic booms. That is what I personally go by.  But I've on
>occasions noted that when a fireball has a terminal burst or any other
>bursting, that it is referred to as as a Bolide, although no noise is heard.
> Can anybody clarify this for me? Thanks!

The way I understand it, a bolide is an exploding meteor. A bolide may or may
not be a fireball (i.e. > -4 magn.). Recently, many Leonids that were -3 or -2
were bolides, but not true fireballs.

GWG

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