[meteorite-list] Meteor Shape

From: Chris Peterson <clp_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Aug 17 04:12:29 2006
Message-ID: <013001c6c1cf$4404bcb0$2721500a_at_bellatrix>

Hi Rick-

It isn't really possible that you saw the shape of the meteor itself- at
the largest it was probably less than a meter across, and at its end at
least 30 km high. But meteors can produce some peculiar atmospheric
effects- what you saw could have been that, or could have been a visual
illusion. Given the angle you saw it burn out, any material that fell to
the ground would have been many miles away. Most likely, however,
nothing reached the ground. Given the timing it is very possible you saw
a Perseid meteor; if so it was even smaller (a few cm at most) and
higher, and definitely wouldn't have produced meteorites.

Chris

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


----- Original Message -----
From: "Meteorite Game" <themeteoritegame_at_yahoo.com>
To: <Meteorite-list_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 16, 2006 4:33 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] Meteor Shape


The other night I saw a meteor tumbling and I could clearly see it's
shape and general outline. It burned out about 50 degrees from my
postion where 90 would be directly overhead.

  How close was this meteor?

   The American Meteor Society is saying it landed miles away but other
professional astronomers are saying it was close.

  Thought comments?

  Cordially,

  Rick
Received on Thu 17 Aug 2006 03:32:16 AM PDT