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Re: (meteorobs) Persistent meteor trains
----- Original Message -----
From: "Larry" Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Persistent meteor trains
> Here in Edmonton we viewed a nacrous cloud created by the Yukon meteor on
> Jan 18 2000. The cloud was seen about 10 hours after the meteor came in.
> The central condencation of this cloud was a similar shape to that in the
> original photograph of the train.
Larry:
You can read about the Tagish Lake (Yukon) fireball at:
http://phobos.astro.uwodot ca/~pbrown/tagish/ If that does not work because of
a typo do a search with "google" for "tagish lake fireball".
What you saw from Edmonton were noctilucent clouds believed to have been
caused by the passage of the fireball. These had drifted down from the
north and were visible later that evening. I don't think that the actual
fireball was visible from Edmonton as it was heading in from the north
landing on Tagish Lake. The train mentioned in your message is what is
called a "dust train". When you talk about such things you must be specific
about the type of meteoroid that produces this train. Cometary meteors like
the Leonids and Perseids don't penetrate that deeply into the atmosphere
before they are completely ablated or burnt up. A meteorite dropping
fireball can be visible to down to around 10 kms and these are the type that
can have a "dust train". This "dust train" is visible be reflected sunlight
where the much higher trains from meteoroids like the Leonids/Perseids are
self luminous.
Ed Majden
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