Reports Report 1479bc (Event 1479-2023)
| Observer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Laura A |
| Experience Level | 3/5 |
| Remarks | It was really incredible. I watch Perseids every year and always look up when I go outside at night. This meteor started in my vision as a bright ball. My initial thought (lasting half second) was an airplane on approach to Luke AFB but quickly realized it was too bright and too big and then immediately after that the tail formed and I watched it fly unhurriedly across the sky from NW to due east. The tail was brighter and more distinct (with a few degrees behind the ball always illuminated) than any I had seen. Just as I started to wonder if it would stay bright and hit someone, it got less smooth-looking in the ball and looked more like embers and then poof. |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address | Surprise, AZ |
| Latitude | 33° 38' 30.02'' N (33.641672°) |
| Longitude | 112° 22' 28.19'' W (-112.374496°) |
| Elevation | 371.463593m |
| Time and Duration | |
|---|---|
| Local Date & Time | 2023-03-08 18:54 MST |
| UT Date & Time | 2023-03-09 01:54 UT |
| Duration | ≈3.5s |
| Direction | |
|---|---|
| Moving direction | From up left to down right |
| Descent Angle | 103° |
| Moving | |
|---|---|
| Facing azimuth | 23.2° |
| First azimuth | 345.58° |
| First elevation | 62° |
| Last azimuth | 45.47° |
| Last elevation | 21° |
| Brightness and color | |
|---|---|
| Stellar Magnitude | -11 |
| Color | Yellow/orange |
| Concurrent Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Delayed Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Persistent train | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Duration | 3.5s |
| Length | 45° |
| Remarks | The most amazing shooting star I have seen. Very bright with a clear tail that was visible for a few degrees behind the ball. At first the fireball was bright but smooth but as it dropped toward the horizon there was more intense color and it became more fiery. |
| Terminal flash | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | As it dropped toward the horizon there was more intense color and it became more fiery. Just as I started to realize that if it didn’t fizzle soon, someone might get hurt, there seemed to be particles in the ball and then it broke up. |
| Fragmentation | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | The fireball went from smooth to fiery with noticeable fragments or particles but still in a ball until the final half second when those particles fizzled. |