[meteorite-list] A Twisted Meteor Trail Over Tenerife: camera bump

From: Matson, Robert D. <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Wed, 2 Jun 2010 14:38:34 -0700
Message-ID: <7C640E28081AEE4B952F008D1E913F170396CD6F_at_0461-its-exmb04.us.saic.com>

Hi Paul,

> A Twisted Meteor Trail Over Tenerife
> Astronomy Picture of the Day, June 2, 2010
http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100602.html

> "Did this meteor take a twisting path? No one is sure. Considered
opinions are solicited."

> APOD: A Twisted Meteor Trail Over Tenerife (2010 Jun 02)
> http://bb.nightskylive.net/asterisk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=19638
>
http://bb.nightskylive.net/asterisk/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=19638&sid=651816
506a79643b02a83499866b4cdb&start=25

There is no doubt that this wiggle was due to a camera bump during the
1-minute
exposure. A meteor at low elevation angle means it was fairly distant --
at least
300 km. The amplitude of the sinuoidal motion is so great that no
meteoroid of
*any* shape, no matter how bizarre, could move in this fashion. For
those still
in doubt, look at the stars in the zoomed insert: they, too, are
blurred, with
a long axis that is consistent with the direction of the meteor
oscillations.

--Rob
Received on Wed 02 Jun 2010 05:38:34 PM PDT