[meteorite-list] Bright Streak of Light in Sky ReportedfromSouthern Oregon to Seattle

From: Chris Peterson <clp_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon Mar 21 13:24:56 2005
Message-ID: <04c501c528af$82cb5a40$f551040a_at_bellatrix>

Color isn't a real good indicator of fireball composition. In most cases the
primary color components are products of atmospheric ionization, not
ionization of meteoroid material. Combine this with the fact that witnesses
usually report seeing different colors for the same event, and I don't think
you can learn much.

There are exceptions, of course, but unless you have independent
spectroscopic data you probably wouldn't want to make any assumptions (or
even wild guesses) about composition based on color alone.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "ks1u" <ks1u_at_prodigy.net>
To: "Ron Baalke" <baalke_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>; "Meteorite Mailing List"
<meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2005 7:05 AM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Bright Streak of Light in Sky
ReportedfromSouthern Oregon to Seattle


> The thing which is most interesting to me in these fireball sightings is
> the color of the flame. The only fireball I saw was an orange/yellow. Is
> it reasonable to make a guess as to the composition based on flame colors,
> in the way geologists do a flame test? Or, are there too many other
> variables?
>
> George
Received on Mon 14 Mar 2005 11:04:32 AM PST