[meteorite-list] Preliminary triangulation solution for White Sands area meteor

From: Matson, Rob D. <ROBERT.D.MATSON_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2014 02:14:26 +0000
Message-ID: <4A4FA25E4DFE584AA580F4F069F9B4401CD57017_at_EMP-EXMR104.corp.leidos.com>

Hi All,

Here's a link to a good astrophoto of the fireball as seen from the
Tempe area (Popago Park):

http://www.abc15.com/news/state/meteor-sighting-reported-in-arizona

I'm trying to determine the exact location the picture was taken
from. Perhaps one of our many Arizona list members can identify
the hills in the foreground. The image is centered on the eastern
horizon; the bright object just right of center and right of the
meteor is an airplane, but to the upper right of the plane are Spica
and Mars. Arcturus, Muphrid and Izar are all easily visible to
the upper left of the meteor. The terminus of the meteor is a
tad south of due east -- around azimuth 94. (A more precise azimuth
could be determined with a full plate solution for the many stars
in the image.) The location of the photographer is pretty close
to ideal for the purposes of triangulation with the NMSU video,
since their viewpoints are at close to right angles to one another.
The intersection of the NMSU terminal vector and the Popago Park
astrophoto endpoint is over the Organ Mountains northwest of
White Sands Space Harbor.

--Rob
Received on Mon 14 Apr 2014 10:14:26 PM PDT