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Re: (meteorobs) Possible alert : Taurids
At 07:24 PM 11/2/98 EST, you wrote:
>
>Out in the field, the term used for these kind of fireballs is usually a
>mouthfull of Ooooo's and Ahhhh's with expletives...but in the newsmedia these
>kind of objects are often referred to as Bolides. These are the one's that
>produce sonic booms, and/or explode and fragment brilliantly.
>George Zay
>This reminds me of an experience I had several years ago. We were playing
pool in our rec. room on a cold October night when we noticed our patio
just outside light up in a green glow of light. I was just able to catch a
fast and partial glimpse through our patio window of what was probably a
brilliant fireball perhaps an Orionid. About 10 minutes later we heard a
truck pull up in our driveway. A couple of men with beer cans in hand came
out (apparently a couple of farmers down the road). They saw the bright
light too and were wondering what it was. I guess when you're an amateur
astronomer--word travels through the neighborhood fast. Anyway, I remember
the younger of the two men say "we thought we were being invaded."
It was hard to keep a straight face, but during the next half-hour, I was
able to explain to them what meteors are and various other topics such as
aurora, etc. I guess the imagination can truely run wild at times!
Makes you wonder what observers in the past must have thought when they
witnessed intense meteor storm activity.
Mark Mikutis
>
>
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