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Re: Bolide size vs Recovered Stones

ALMitt@kconline.com schrieb:

> I am sending this to the list again, as it didn't make it through the
> first
> time.
>
> Hi Phil and all,
>
> My understanding of the word bolide means a fireball that breaks
> apart. A
> fireball is simply a bright meteor that doesn't fragment. Everyone
> reading
> Nininger's Find A Falling Star (a must read if you haven't), might
> remember
> that a well witnessed (and very bright) fall in the northern USA and
> S.
> Canada, resulted in only scattered black (?) dust being found on
> freshly fallen
> snow in Canada. Apparently the material was very friable and didn't
> survive
> intact but rather broke up and settled on the snow.
>
> The term bolide from my understanding defines a break up. One in two
> falls
> break apart according to my understanding.
>
> I haven't kept up with this thread so if this has been pointed out
> then sorry
> for the repeat.
>
> Respectfully
>
> --AL

Hi AL, Phil and all,

1) H.R. Povenmire uses the term 'f i r e b a l l' throughout his book
FIREBALLS, METEORS & METEORITES.
2) D.W.G. Sears: Thunderstones -> p.001: '...For ten seconds or so, the
light of the  f i r e b a l l  may turn night into day...'
3) D.W.G. Sears: Nature and Origin of Meteorites -> p. 028: 'The next
most frequently mentioned effect is the light produced by the f i r e b
a l l  ...'
4) O.R.Norton: RFS-I -> p.030: 'Sequential photo of a  f i r e b a l l
over Springfield...' / p.031: 'F i r e b a l l s  produce very bright
meteors ...'
5) T. Gehrels: Asteroids, Glossary, p. 1164 - entry -> meteor
A 'shooting star' - the streak of light in the sky produced by the
transit of a meteoroid through the earth's atmosphere; also the glowing
meteoroid itself. The term ' f i r e b a l l ' is sometimes used for a
meteor approaching the brightness of Venus*; the term  'b o l i d e'
for one approaching the brightness of the full moon**.

*  B. Pauli: Venus -> visual magnitude - 4.4 (Astronomical Almanac)
**B. Pauli: Moon -> visual magnitude -12.74 (ditto)
References: