[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: (meteorobs) Bolides
Kevin opined:
>I think that these bolides are coincedental, and we are noticing them more
>by
>being involved in the meteorics end of astronomy.
>Kevin
I also think that this medium here, e-mail, and the astro newgroups have
created the impression there are more. In the past, a fireball may have
been witnessed by 20 people, one or two of whom might call a newspaper or
the police to report it. So it might make a newspaper in say Maine and
Southern NJ. Nowadays, it gets posted on the newsgroups, or here in
meteorobs, or in the astro maillist, and all of a sudden we see reports
from 10 or so of the twenty who witnessed it (and could type), and it is
more noticed. It is one world connected by fast communication. Think back
to how long it took reports of the Leonid storms of the 1700's and 1800's
to find the light of day...years!
So, much as in meteorology, where a larger percentage of tornados are
reported, due to denser population, and faster communications, I suspect
the fireball reports we get so much detail on today, 50 years ago would
have gone unnoticed (by the world), buried in a 2 paragraph item on page 45
of the Petticoat Junction Tattler.
Just my opinion....
Wayne