Fireballs - twice Lucky or Common?

[Astro78]

Hi several months ago I saw nothing less than a red flash like fire across the sky that was absolutely incredible. Just happened to be looking high in the western sky at the time. It started as a typical shooting star and then lit up for maybe a second and vanished. Wish i recorded the date.

About 3 weeks later, again just happened to be starring at the right place/time, this time high in the North maybe north east and even better occurrence. No shooting star but an even bigger red explosion. This one I actually saw separating into TWO fire balls. Absolutely amazing!

Surely this must be somewhat common? Have others seen this before, I would love to know more??

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Not very common, but they happen.

Some people go their whole life an never see a fireball, whereas others see a few a year.

I have seen about a dozen in my lifetime, and all were exciting, especially the ones spitting off sparks and flame!!!!

Sometimes it is also Space-junk re-entering the atmosphere and not a meteor at all.

[Astro78]

After the 2nd one I actually could not sleep whatsoever. Don't think i'll EVER forget that image.

It would have to be impossible but if that was captured somehow those pics would surely be worth fortune. Both were naked eye of course.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Fireball images are very rare indeed! There have only ever been a few caught on video. But photos, I haven't yet heard of anyone getting one.

[NQLD_Newby]

Hi Astro 78, I saw my first fire ball ever the other night. I actually mentioned it in a post I made in the 17P/Holmes thread. Below is what I said. It was truely amazing, so I can understand your excitement.

Incidentally the sky put on another show last night. At 12.05am EST a huge meteor / fire ball thingy streaked accross the entire northern sky. Scared the heck out of me. Started as a normal shooting star and erupted into a glowing flame with a huge bright green, blue and purple tail. After the initial flare it died off and went back to a normal shooting star again and then erupted a second time and slowly got smaller until it burnt out. The whole deal lasted for what seemed like 10 seconds, although judging by how fast it was moving i'm sure it was much less than that probably around 3 to 5 seconds. I was gob smacked, was the most beautiful meteor I have ever seen. Did anyone else see it? I'm sure someone did, because many people would have been looking at 17p/holmes around that time.

[fringe_dweller]

to learn more on fireballs if your interested - here's a couple of links that might interest?

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/...earch?fireball

my fave of those

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010728.html

now THATS a fireball!

also check out utube - lots of great genuine vids from over many years! look out for the cgi stuff, and the eternal airplane contrail at sunset mistaken identity ones

http://www.youtube.com/results?searc...&search=Search

pity you guys missed the morning of 17th nov 1998 leonid fireball shower - saw a lifetimes worth of fireballs in one night!

and Rex try

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051115.html

[Astro78]

Thanks Fringe-dweller for those links, really cool vids and info

So Rex, you actually saw Green blues and purple man! Wow that would have been amazing!! I missed your post as hunting comets is a bit advanced for now.

Funny about an hour ago I started screaming (GF's still laughing) as I thought another one was about to explode. Alas, was just a slow moving spacecraft - think SEASAT1. {yes there was a good gap in the clouds }

Ballarat how long have you been into astronomy if you don't mind me asking?

[Ric]

Hi Astro, it's all about the right place at the right time. I am still yet to see my first fireball.

Cheers

[meteorObserva]

G'day all

This is my first post here, I hope I am not hyjacking ur thread astro78.

Just a few weeks ago, I commented to a friend that I had not seen any meteors since last jan-feb. Then just a few nights later on the 19/10/07 as I was leaving a friends house @ ~3am I saw a bright white meteor/spacejunk fly accross the sky from straight above, heading east. Even driving I was well impressed, leaving a nice trail all the way accross the sky beyond the horizon (over 90Deg of travel). When I got home I also looked up and saw another nice, but much shorter meteor from same area of sky. Trails seemed to persist longer than most.

So, onto the internet and I see that orionids are about to hot up. So I head back out and watch Orion for another hour or so and I see a beuty from just right of orion. Approx 30deg of sky trail- green white, I watch for ~ an hour or two every non cloudy night after the moon had set. I counted 15 in 1 hour on 22nd OCT from orion. Have seen many real nice taurids normally atleast one or two good bright ones a night upto 20deg of sky per trail.

Spotted Holmes on last friday night 2nd Nov. It has been getting easier to see each night. Just visable above horizon with naked eye, but easily visable with binocs. Last night saw nice slow and long meteor from perseus, traveling parallel to east along horizon. Only two minor taurids, one north one south in over an hour from 2-3 am last night.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by Astro78

Ballarat how long have you been into astronomy if you don't mind me asking?

I'm gonna have to change my username!!!

How long: All my life as far back as I can remember as a little child. Fascinated by the dark night sky in far western Suburbs of Sydney (Seven Hills). Yes, the suburban Sydney sky was dark back in the early 60's!

Kept the interest as a stargazer until 23 years ago when I built my 1st Telescope (was also the first time I ever looked through one). I'm now 50, so I suppose I've been 'into' it for somewhere around 44 years. It is explained a bit better HERE

Boy, I've seen some great stuff in all that time

P.S. My name isn't 'Ballarat'
There is my name just below.

[Astro78]

Hi Ken and sorry for missing that! (was too busy drueling over your equipment list!). Great website and great looking family! Hope they're into the stars too (darn lucky if they are).

Are there any sightings, occulations, bizzare stuff - would list more but my astro vocabulary is limited - that you rate higher than anything you've seen during all that experience?

Hi meteorObserva - absolutely not man. Wow another one with colours in it besides Reds/fire.

So it would seem with research thus far, that they can be one offs or associated with a meteor shower, which is somewhat predictable? Ken you surely know the answer here?

Thanks guys,
Trav

[NQLD_Newby]

Hi Kearn, thanks for the links, there fantastic, man a daytime meteor like your favourite, now that would be a site.

Thats got to be the best thing about astronomy, there are so many different areas to learn about. You start out with a very normal observing session, happen to find something in the eyepiece that you don't know what it is, do some research and find out it's something amazing, and that there are many others similar and spend a couple of months looking at star charts and the sky and find them, until one night while looking you find something in the eyepiece that you don't know what it is and do some research .....bla bla bla........ and the story continues

Sorry babbling again.......

Yes Astro it was the most amazing meteor I have ever seen. I didn't know they came in colours, but like I've said, learning learning learning. You made a comment about chasing comets as a little advanced for now, this one doesn't take much hunting and is well worth the look, you won't be dissapointed. As you can see below my scope is a little arperture challenged, but if there is one thing I have learned is, you never know what you can see unless you try. Many an object I have started out looking for, thinking that I probably won't be able to see it very well or at all, and then have been surprised at how much I could see. So these days I never say hmmmm won't bother coz in my scope I won't see it, I just try, some things I can see others I can't.

Anyway enough babbling........ (sorry) I do that a lot.

Keep up the good work astro and happy hunting.

WOW!!! Ken, I didn't know you had a website. Man you've got some great gear. Gear to dream about, dark sky's and great looking kids to boot, what more could a person want?

[Astro78]

Hey Rex,

Babble on brother! Not saying that you were btw

So this comet Holmes would be the easiest to track down at the moment? I'm keen as to give it a shot. Just thought you needed some sort of exposure to determine if it's moving or not....Ah the learning curve.

Until very recently I was on the same size scope (with a murky front corrector plate) and spend god knows how much of 6 months looking for the Saturn nebula. It was about a week ago I landed this little baby. Only had a 15mm LV giving around x66 so didn't knock my socks off visually but the satisfaction was incredible!

Never give up hey.

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by Astro78

So it would seem with research thus far, that they can be one offs or associated with a meteor shower, which is somewhat predictable? Ken you surely know the answer here?

Trav

Trav, I may have been into Astronomy for about 44 years (23 years actual 'scoping), but I don't know much. I just look, image, and go 'Wow!' a lot

As far as Fireballs go, no-one knows when they will come. Some meteor showers are more prone to fireball type meteors, many aren't. And sporadics are totally unpredictable.

Space junk may be pre-warned but not often.

You just have to keep your eyes on the skies as much as possible

[ballaratdragons (Ken)]

Originally Posted by NQLD_Newby

WOW!!! Ken, I didn't know you had a website. Man you've got some great gear. Gear to dream about, dark sky's and great looking kids to boot, what more could a person want?

I have many websites. 3 Astro sites, 1 Yahoo group, and 4 Rugby League sites!

I wouldn't have the 'Dream' gear I have now if it wasn't for the help of other people (some of them in here). Dark sky? Yep, that's why I love living in the country.

Yep, my kids are great and mean everything to me. 4 all up, and 1 grandson. At least 2 of my kids are into Astronomy
I'm working on my Grandson

Life is certainly grand!