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Re: (meteorobs) Re: visual Beta Taurids
In a message dated 99-06-19 18:58:02 EDT, you write:
norman<<
Thinking about the flare vs. meteor problem, I would expect most flares to
be no more than a handful of degrees up.<<
I would to normally....unless the person in trouble is fairly close.
norman>>Seems extremely unlikely that a
meteor would slowly rise from the horizon upwards for only 5 degrees or
less, although it's not impossible. <<
A very distant fireball coming towards the observer can appear to be slowly
rising upwards from the horizon for only a few degrees. I agree it wouldn't
be too common of a sight, but since it wouldn't be too common, this kind of
thing is what would most likely set off a hunt and search effort. If you see
a very bright fireball traveling overhead in a certain direction, there will
some very distant location where if an observer happened to be looking in the
direction where it would be coming towards them they would be able to see
something like this. But due to extinction that low along the horizon, it
would have to be a fairly bright fireball in the first place.
norman>>A flare ought to show a slow apparent
upward motion, then halting and turning down if it lasts long enough. Any
lateral motion should show some curving. <<
Try asking someone exactly what did they see to ascertain this after it
occurred. Most likely they wouldn't be sure if it curved or not, or swore
that it did even if it didn't.
GeoZay
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