Reports Report 253a (Event 253-2011)
| Observer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Heather P |
| Experience Level | 5/5 |
| Remarks | I\'m a professional astronomer and have been an observer, so in that sense I\'m an \"expert observer,\" but not someone who observes meteors on a regular basis (intentionally, that is). There was another witness to the bolide standing in the driveway with me at the time, and he spotted it first. I was able to turn around and observe it for more than two seconds, so this was a very long phenomenon, as these things usually go. |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address | Pensacola, FL |
| Latitude | 30° 22' 52.01'' N (30.381113°) |
| Longitude | 87° 21' 12.82'' W (-87.353561°) |
| Elevation | - |
| Time and Duration | |
|---|---|
| Local Date & Time | 2011-02-25 22:10 CST |
| UT Date & Time | 2011-02-26 04:10 UT |
| Duration | ≈3.5s |
| Direction | |
|---|---|
| Moving direction | From right to left |
| Descent Angle | 270° |
| Moving | |
|---|---|
| Facing azimuth | 0.95369° |
| First azimuth | 280.55761° |
| First elevation | 45° |
| Last azimuth | 27.78921° |
| Last elevation | 30° |
| Brightness and color | |
|---|---|
| Stellar Magnitude | -11 |
| Color | yellow with trail 3-5x he |
| Concurrent Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Delayed Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | We were listening carefully, since at first, living by a NAS, we thought it was some sort of craft. But the fiery trail and the disappearance told us that it was natural. No sound, so probably not close. |
| Persistent train | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Duration | -1s |
| Length | 2° |
| Remarks | A glowing train trailed the bolide. There was no sound. Bolide was in sight for several seconds, yellow, with a glowing yellow trail following it for about 2 degrees of arc, but not persisting after passage. Bolide disappeared in sky rather than behind any stationary object. There was no sound. Bolide was higher in apparent altitude at start of observation (NW) and lower in apparent altitude at end of its appearance (NE) -- the radiant appeared to be Orion or Taurus, but not enough to choose that option in the attitude charts shown earlier, between 40 and 45 down to 30 or 35 deg alt. We are in West Pensacola, north of the Naval Air Station. |
| Terminal flash | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Fragmentation | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |