Hey Guys...
While doin a bit of collimating
and a bit of observing...
Myself and Dave were just about
to quit for the night, when at 11:35pm a streak
of light shot out of the sky from
Ursa Major and exploded just over
Capella leaving a trail of smaller pieces
and a trail of smoke behind it..
It was easily mag -3 to -4...
By far and away the best thing
I've ever seen in my short time
in this hobby... I'm still shaking
with excitement...
Cheers Roy
Massive Exploding Meteor
Moderator: SAC Committee
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Massive Exploding Meteor
Roy Stewart.
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- Dave Lillis
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yea, it was amazing, it had a hugh persistant trail behind, wasnt traveling that fast either, the instant I saw it through the corner of my eye I thought it was a plane, it was going very slow for a meteor, it lasted easily 3 or 4 seconds and also had a very striking orange colour , almost like the amber you'd see in the traffic light. It wasnt white with an orange hue, its colour was like Mars at a close opposition, just not as red.
It started to the right of the plough, flew through lynx, then above capella by about 3 degrees and dissapeard by the auriga-perseus border.
If ever I saw something that might have reached the ground, this is the one as it appeared to glisten and fragment towards the end. It was easily mag -4.
I've seen many bright and brighter meteors but never anything like this,
I wonder does its colour and slow speed signify that it's some manmade debris re-entering the atmosphere ?
BTW, thats a nice scope there Roy, easily collimatable aswell.
It started to the right of the plough, flew through lynx, then above capella by about 3 degrees and dissapeard by the auriga-perseus border.
If ever I saw something that might have reached the ground, this is the one as it appeared to glisten and fragment towards the end. It was easily mag -4.
I've seen many bright and brighter meteors but never anything like this,
I wonder does its colour and slow speed signify that it's some manmade debris re-entering the atmosphere ?
BTW, thats a nice scope there Roy, easily collimatable aswell.
Dave L. on facebook, See my images in flickr
Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me, but what a way to go.
Carrying around my 20" obsession is going to kill me, but what a way to go.
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- Posts: 2980
- Joined: Sun Aug 05, 2007 2:45 am
- Location: Ballycasey, Co. Clare
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- Posts: 531
- Joined: Sun Sep 26, 2010 4:29 pm
- Location: Meelick, Co.Clare