This was a very large fireball heading almost straight down and about 5 degrees to the East as it fell. I was ot the top of Fremont Peak & had a good view at an altitude of about 2800\' from that altitude we saw it fall almost to the horizon before the light faded. It was VERY bright. The closest approximation is that of a fireworks shell at about a mile away, or less (including the fragmenation). If you were looking away from the object the light was bright enough to catch your attention and make you turn to watch it fall. It lit up the faces of people nearby. At first it appeared to be close enough to almost be scary!
Location
Address
San Luis Obispo, CA
Latitude
36° 45' 36.73'' N (36.760204°)
Longitude
121° 30' 14.34'' W (-121.503983°)
Elevation
-
Time and Duration
Local Date & Time
2012-07-21 23:50 PDT
UT Date & Time
2012-07-22 06:50 UT
Duration
≈7.5s
Direction
Moving direction
From up to down
Descent Angle
180°
Moving
Facing azimuth
176.89135°
First azimuth
179.50384°
First elevation
65°
Last azimuth
167.88738°
Last elevation
24°
Brightness and color
Stellar Magnitude
1
Color
red to bright white
Concurrent Sound
Observation
No
Remarks
-
Delayed Sound
Observation
No
Remarks
-
Persistent train
Observation
Unknown
Duration
5.5s
Length
10°
Remarks
The fireball was predominatly white with orange & red aspects earlier & then turning to pure. very bright white.
Terminal flash
Observation
Unknown
Remarks
As the fireball came down it clearly fragmented with some particles following the train and some particles shooting off at acute angles to the train
