[meteorite-list] Fireballs & Known Meteor Showers

From: Meteorites USA <eric_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 12:52:04 -0700
Message-ID: <4BC76E64.1030703_at_meteoritesusa.com>

I've been studying meteorites/fireballs for 3 years, but from everything
I've studied the general consensus is that BIG fireballs are not
associated with regular meteor showers... Here's the deal, everyone
"knows" that big fireballs have nothing to do with known/famous meteor
showers... right? So why is it every time there's a BIG fireball people
tend to associate that fireball with a peak in the current meteor
shower? Is it a coincidence that the peak of the Gamma Virginids was
supposed to be these past two nights, and coincidentally a HUGE fireball
lights up the night across 7-10 states during that peak? Is it that
these fireballs are part of the meteor showers, or is it because people
are actually looking at the sky more during the regular meteor shower
events and when a fireball happens they associate it with the shower?

The reason is that during my investigations, and fireball chasing, many
a meteorologist have ask me if these fireballs are associated with
regular meteor showers and I've always told them no, that the "general
consensus" is they are not related. Am I telling them wrong information?

Regards,
Eric Wichman
Meteorites USA
Received on Thu 15 Apr 2010 03:52:04 PM PDT