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Sweet Geminid 'fireball' - 30 degrees of travel, but no tail

  • Seanie_Morris
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18 years 1 week ago #37159 by Seanie_Morris
Dee & I spotted a nice Geminid sweep into the atmosphere a little below Cancer, and went straight for Orion's nebula, fading at his right leg. Path estimated around 30 degrees in length, visible as a -3 to -4, bright blue-white, quite fast. But it left no tail that we could see. We were travelling in the car, but had an unobstructed view entry to exit. Time was 23:04hrs. Slowed down/stopped the car at the time to make sure of these details.

It appeared 'large' despite not being brilliant in brightness, so wondered if someone closer to it (where ever that may be on the globe) may have seen it at a better angle, and thus with fragmentation (and maybe even sound)...

We'll probably never know!

Seanie.

Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.

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18 years 1 week ago #37164 by michaeloconnell
About 40mins ago or so I saw a bright fireball passing through Ursa Major. Following the trail back would indicate it to be a Geminid. Difficult to estimate brightness of meteors but I would say it was in the mag -2 to -3 range. Tail lasted a few seconds.

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18 years 1 week ago #37260 by EPK
I saw one close to your time from Belfast, but maybe not close enough,Seanie..at exactly 22.50pm. My report was as follows:

"A gorgeous electric blue/violet colour, it took a very leisurely 2.5-3 seconds, looking like a slow rocket, to move a good 90 or 100 degrees across the sky, starting in Ursa Major and trailing smoke right across from NE to S, right through Orion, and still going beyond when I lost sight of it due to nearby houses.
Magnitude I estimate at about -4.5, making Sirius look like a dim star in comparison.

The discrepancy in the other details might be due to the difference in our relative positions, but I have to say that apart from the Bovedy meteorite in 1969 it's the most impressive meteor I've ever seen.

Caught another one slightly less impressive last night, corroborated by another observer about 25 miles away and caught by his camera.



Meade 16" Lightbridge
Tal 6" Newtonian
Meade LXD75 6" Newtonian
Tal 4" Refractor
Panoptic and Nagler eyepieces.
Attitude and Smartassery

For forever and a day I shall chase that white whale - Captain Ahab

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  • Seanie_Morris
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18 years 1 week ago #37265 by Seanie_Morris
That is a fantastic meteor capture image! :)

Midlands Astronomy Club.
Radio Presenter (Midlands 103), Space Enthusiast, Astronomy Outreach Co-ordinator.
Former IFAS Chairperson and Secretary.

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18 years 1 week ago #37299 by Silversurfer
Yes Definitely have to second Seanie on that, :shock: WOW amazing photo, do you know how it was taken.

Martin

You can lead a horse to water but a pencil must be lead

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18 years 1 week ago #37305 by EPK
It was taken by Aaron Hunter from Castleward near Downpatrick, and I'll try to get the details from him and post them here.
Yes, a really great shot...in addition Robert Cobain from Bangor got a superb fireball capture in his Meteorwatch camera. See link below:
www.meteorlogni.com/videos/M20061212_180324_Ivyhill_WS.avi

Meade 16" Lightbridge
Tal 6" Newtonian
Meade LXD75 6" Newtonian
Tal 4" Refractor
Panoptic and Nagler eyepieces.
Attitude and Smartassery

For forever and a day I shall chase that white whale - Captain Ahab

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