(meteorobs) color of fireballs

To: <meteorobs@latrade.com>
Subject: (meteorobs) color of fireballs
From: "Jean-Christophe 'Papou' Millot" <papou@cipac.nc>
Date: Mon, 3 Feb 1997 12:27:48 +1100
Reply-To: meteorobs@latrade.com
Sender: owner-meteorobs

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 Jean-Christophe 'Papou' Millot      | Computer and network consultant.
 email : papou@cipac.nc              | Astronomy, Internet, Music, Movies.
 snail mail : B.P. 3977              | Voice/Fax : Int'l + 687 27.69.84 
 Noumia 98846 New-Caledonia          | Mobile    : Int'l + 687 77.19.97
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Hi everybody,

At last the sky seems to get clear here in New Caledonia. I plan to be
meteor observing this week early in the morning.

 Last friday, we held a small star party with our society. The sky was 80%
cloudy and we experienced a 25 knots SE wind. Not a good night for
observation but at 9:25 we were granted with a -5 magnitude fireball ending
in the Southern Cross. 

I will make an IMO report about it later on but the question is : despite
the low elevation of the fireball (almost parallel to the horizon with an
altitude of 20 deg.) it had a green color observed by any fellow around us,
even newbies. Should't this green color be absorbed by the atmosphere at
this low level of altitude ? If the fireball was crossing the zenith, of
course it should be brighter (-7 if I get it right) but what about the
color ?

Also I know that the green color is supposed to come from oxygene molecules
but where can I find some more info about colors of meteors ?

By the way this was the brightest fireball I have ever seen, and may be the
farthest as I found that supposing it ended at an altitude of 50 km,  18
deg of altitude makes a distance of 160 km and supposing I saw it first at
80 km, 25 deg makes 189 km

Clear skies

Jean-Christophe