30 April 2009

Fireball Streaks Across Northwestern California 29APR09


Photo credit Yuba City Sentinel (c)2009
Fireball Over Northern California 29April09
Report by YC Sentinel
20090429_2342:56 PST (20090430_0643 UT)

Northwestern California. Should have been visible for good distances.
5.3 Seconds duration, at an apparent slow velocity.
Wide & Bright ablation.
Start Azimuth: 304 Degrees True North with Elevation of 36 Degrees.
End Azimuth: 322 Degrees True North at an Elevation of apprx. 5 Degrees.
This could be a meteorite dropping fireball. More observations or camera captures are necessary for trajectory to be estimated if it was on a steep angle downward.

Update:
What appeared to be a terminal explosion did not occur. Sentinel camera timed out on this slow fireball. Examination of Handyavi records shows this fireball continued a slow diminishing burn without a terminal detonation. Those avi. records will be added later to website: http://www.geocities.com/stange34@sbcglobal.net/YEAR2.html.

About three other small meteors were also recorded in the western portions of the Yuba City, CA sky at different times on 29APR09.

Photos & data about this event are on the website.
Click "latest" events. http://www.geocities.com/stange34@sbcglobal.net/YEAR2.html

2 comments:

GrannyJudy said...

My husband and I saw a large fireball on 4/29/09 at 11:45 pm outside of Covelo, CA. It was blue/green with fire all around it. About two minutes later we heard a far off boom.
Was that a sonic boom or did it hit earth?

GrannyJudy said...

My husband and I saw a large fireball 4/29/09 over the mountains north of Covelo, CA heading north. It was blue/green with fire all around it and lit up the whole area. About two minutes later we heard a far away boom.
Was that a sonic boom or did it hit earth?