A
adrenalynn
Guest
<p>Hi All, long time no chat! Of course, it would be an observation that brought me back.</p><p> First let me note that yes, I checked aero.org and heaven's above
My space-track account doesn't seem to work anymore and they require a 1-2 day confirmation now.</p><p>At ~20:09 PDT 18-Aug-2008 near twilight (03:09UTC | 19-Aug) near 38.678/-121.175, I observed the most incredible fireball I've ever seen.</p><p>It began in the SE at the SE most edge of Sag and continued to brighten to the northern edge of Coma Bernices on a nearly apparently flat trajectory. It took approximately 17 seconds to make the trip. ~30deg' to 26deg'-ish height, 120+ deg in length. The train never shorter than 70deg.</p><p>It was so large and so brilliant that I can't begin to provide an accurate magnitude estimate. The coma appeared larger than the full moon, the center so brilliant that it left seared after-images for several minutes. It was brighter than a full moon, but if you crushed the moon down into that size you'd get there. My fist at arm's length didn't cover it. The single train was wider than my arm at arms length. The center appeared magnesium white with the coma appearing to fade into bands at the edges of yellow-to-orange-to an ionizing dark blue (persistence of vision issue?) The main shape appeared to be elongated vertically with a visible apparent shockwave in front of it.</p><p>Less than a minute after losing it I observed a communication black-out. Cell (PCS) which I was on at the time summarily dropped out and wouldn't reconnect for 20 seconds (timed by phone), Satellite (Sirius) radio (est. 30sec), 2m & 70cm amateur radio (ditto)</p><p>No audible was observed.</p><p>Apologies for the mediocre observation log. I really wasn't prepared for the event and experienced an emotional reaction to it...
</p><p> </p><p>Anyone with any word on reentries matching? I imagine something like that had to be a reentry. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>.</p><p><font size="3">bipartisan</font> (<span style="color:blue" class="pointer"><span class="pron"><font face="Lucida Sans Unicode" size="2">bī-pär'tĭ-zən, -sən</font></span></span>) [Adj.] Maintaining the ability to blame republications when your stimulus plan proves to be a devastating failure.</p><p><strong><font color="#ff0000"><font color="#ff0000">IMPE</font><font color="#c0c0c0">ACH</font> <font color="#0000ff"><font color="#c0c0c0">O</font>BAMA</font>!</font></strong></p> </div>