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Re: (meteorobs) Leonid fireball heights
In a message dated 10/22/2003 11:44:21 AM Pacific Standard Time, epmajden@shawdot ca writes:
>>Does anyone have data on the deepest penetration into the atmosphere by
Leonid fireballs versus magnitude of the fireball? Apparently there have
been a few reports of sonic booms from Leonid fireballs. I would have
thought these would be too high in the atmosphere to generate an audible
sonic boom on the ground. Have any been instrumentally confirmed?<<
During the 1998 Leonid fireball shower, Lunsford and I saw a very bright Leonid. I believe I gave it a magnitude around -19 and Bob gave it something like a -19 or -20? For several seconds afterwards the persistent train was at around -8. Anyhow, it was so bright that all the stars in my field of vision disappeared and the sky appeared as if it was daylight blue. For some instinctive reason I even sorta ducked expecting to hear a sonic boom...but none occurred. No noise at all.
George Zay
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