[AZ-Observing] Fireball or Bolide?
- From: Stan Gorodenski <stanlep@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 25 Nov 2001 19:17:35 -0700
I have been thinking some more about whether 'bolide' is the right term
to describe some of the things that have seen by observers during the
Leonid meteor shower. Based on the definition of a bolide I gave in a
previous message, it seemed to me that there has not been enough
evidence to support calling some of these objects 'bolides'. I recall
one Az-Observing member using the term 'fireball', and it occurred to
me, while at my observatory this weekend, that maybe the term 'fireball'
is the more appropriate name for what many individuals observed. The
Oxford Dictionary of Astronomy defines a fireball as:
"A meteor whose apparent magnitude exceeds that of the planet Venus
(magnitude -5 or brighter). Fireballs are comparatively rare, perhaps
fewer than one per thousand meteors. During major annual meteor showers
such as the *Perseids or *Geminids considerable numbers of fireballs may
be seen...An exploding fireball is termed a *bolide"
Thus, it appears that most of what may have been called bolides are
really fireballs.
Stan
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