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(meteorobs) La Mesa, Calif. Fireball July 7/8, 1998
I was informed today by a friend that she saw an apparent very bright fireball
on the evening of July 7/8, 1998 from La Mesa, California.(Longitude:
116degrees 58' 13" West; Latitude: 32 degrees 46' 48" North; Elevation: 306
meters). It occurred approximately around 20hrs 10 minutes PST...or at 3h10m
UT. The sun sets here right at 20hrs 00m PST. So the sky was still quite
bright. The observer's name is Robin Freedman. She said she saw it out the
window starting roughly overhead and heading nearly due South. It lasted about
4 seconds and she said it was "extremely bright". I estimate the magnitude
from the interview to be at least -8 and up to perhaps -12. The velocity
appeared to be somewhat Slow...but faster than a plane or satellite. There
were no terminal bursts with just a few small fragments shown. If surveillance
satellite data is searched for, I recommend looking between 3hrs00m UT to
about 3hrs 15m UT since the time wasn't accurately noted.
George Zay