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RE: (meteorobs) Unique Fireball sighting




I don't know...something strikes me wrong here...2  degrees per second for 10 seconds? I know the KCG's are slow, but 10 seconds seems like an awfully long amount of time. Oh well, Ulrich, back to the books for me ...I have to check that math with my own eyes :-) To me it sounds more like a debris reentry, but I'll let you know after I check the numbers.

Wayne
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From: 	Ulrich Sperberg[SMTP:Ulrich.Sperberg@t-onlinedot de]
Sent: 	Tuesday, February 17, 1998 3:03 PM
To: 	meteorobs@latrade.com
Subject: 	Re: (meteorobs) Unique Fireball sighting

p.martin@cyberusdot ca wrote:
> Hi!
>
> With the recent discussions on Iridium satellite flares, I was reminded 
> of a special event occuring back several years ago.
>
> Being new to meteor watching back then, I attempted my first meteor 
> shower watch on August 20 1988, hoping to see the Kappa Cygnids I was 
> reading about in a book. It was a beautiful summer evening and perfect to 
> go out and try to make up for my disapointment missing the awesome 
> Perseid max. 
>
> I observed during the evening and enjoyed seeing satellites zip by and a 
> few faint meteors. Around 11:00 EDT (perhaps earlier??), a huge fireball 
> appeared 50 degrees over the south and travelled very slowly descending 
> toward the south-east. Path lenght approx 20 degrees. I can only say it 
> was probably brighter than Venus. The most interesting features was its 
> very long duration of 8-10 secondes!! and an unusual "ball of fire" from 
> which small pieces could be seen fragmenting from it. A thin but bright 
> tail followed the path. Since the meteor originated from near Cygnus, I 
> figured it was a mighty awesome Kappa-Cyg ! 
>
> I have never seen anything quite like this ever since. I remember vaguely 
> about hearing news that a satellite (or space junk) was scheduled to 
> reenter atmosphere somewhere over the East coast of North America on that 
> same night.(?)  Could my fireball be a possible satellite reentry?
>
> My coordinates are: (Ottawa)
> LAT = 45.42 N
> LONG= 75.67 W
>
> (I apologize for the lack of precise information. I was only 12 years old 
> back then)
>
>
> Pierre Martin
> Ottawa, Ontario, Great White North
> Meteor observing and Graphic design
>
I think this was an member of the kappa cygnid streem. a path length of 20 
degree and an time of 10 sec. meens an angular velocity of 2 degree per sec.
For the kappa cygnids with an geocentric velocity of 25 km/sec this is possible 
for instance for an beginning hight of 20 degree and an radiant distance for the 
end point of the fireball of about 30 degree or for 40 degree / 15 degree 
respectively or for 60 degree beginning hight and 10 degree radiant distance.
Some of the fireballs in present and past are real and not all are blincks of 
satellites!

Clear skies!
Ulrich


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