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| Yellow diamonds = NASA All Sky Fireball Network stations Circles = observations reported to the AMS (pink), Dirk Ross (red), or Bill Cooke (orange) Yellow line = automatic meteor trajectory solution. Direction of travel is roughly E to W. Orange line = manual (refined) meteor trajectory solution. Direction of travel is roughly E to W. |
Start Location: 85.009 W, 34.831 N at an initial altitude of 84.8 km
End location: 85.259 W, 34.804 N at an altitude of 23.2 km
Peak absolute magnitude: -11.8
Initial meteor speed: 18.6 +/- 1.3 km/s
Final meteor speed: ~4 km/s (determined through deceleration)
This fireball meets two of the criteria for producing meteorites - 1) Penetration below 40 km altitude, and 2) deceleration to under 10 km/s. We are working on determining the mass of the meteor, from both the light curve and the deceleration profile. These should be available sometime tomorrow; if the results are favorable, we will initiate dark flight calculations and compute a potential fall zone.
Close up map of the trajectory:
http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/GeorgiaTracks.jpg
Composite images of the event as seen from MSFC and Cartersville: http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/ev_20120308_031911A_01A.png
Composite images of the event as seen from MSFC and Cartersville: http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/ev_20120308_031911A_01A.png
and
http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/ev_20120308_031910A_04A.png
Movie of event as seen from Cartersville: http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/ev_20120308_031910A_04A.wmv
Meteor light curve:
Movie of event as seen from Cartersville: http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/ev_20120308_031910A_04A.wmv
Meteor light curve:
http://www.billcooke.org/events/NGA_2012Mar08/abs_mag.png
Bill Cooke
NASA Meteoroid Environment Office
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Sighting Reports:
07MAR2012 Michelle Murphy,NC USA 10:14 pm Eastern 10 sec North - South facing South west Blue/orange moon no beautiful
07MAR2012 Dena Curtis Murfreesboro, TN 09:45 p.m In my sight - 5-6 seconds I was facing east and I saw the object to my right. If straight above my head was 12 noon; and 3 o’clock was the actual horizon; it was streaking across the sky to my right at about 2 o’clock.; it was traveling across the sky (from left to right) and maybe at a downward angle. VERY large; bigger than any shooting start I have ever seen; and seemed to be close but it probably wasn’t. Several colors to include bright white, blue and orange to yellow; it definitely had a 'tail/trail' that included the same colors but was mostly white. It seemed to be 'shooting' across the sky; as well as falling; but it may be an illusion as we watched it till it went past the horizon. I don't remember a sound. There was a very bright full moon at the same time and this object was definitely AS bright or brighter than the moon. Not a 'glow' just a brighter white. I am pretty sure there were particles or something(s) coming from the tail/trail. I was with my daughter-in-law. We both saw it and could not take our eyes off of it. 5-6 seconds is a long time when all you are doing is staring at something you don't understand. I just knew it was too big to be a shootin star or that it was the biggest brightest longest shooting star I have ever seen.
07MAR2012 Allison Newnan, Georgia,USA 10:20 pm EST 5sec headed straight down, in the WNW sky bright white bright white like the moon no a single ball of light,the brightest I have seen
07MAR2012 ALLISON MILLER CARROLLTON ,GA 10:11 pm EST happened less than 5 sec north west defined ball, large, off white very bright glow and VERY fast glow similar to moon color but much much brighter not that I could tell - it fell or appeared to have dropped at an angle NO
07MAR2012 Dianne Lindsey McClung Madisonville, TN, USA 2230 Eastern 5 sec or a bit more or less maybe S-W I was facing a bit southwest, I think White, no color, seemed to hear a high pitched sound as with a fast projectile but not certain of source of noise. Bright white .. don't know exactly what to compare to, but white-hot appearance It just looked like a ball of white fire with small trail behind No photo. Happened to be looking toward french doors as it seemed to speed from the sky - appeared as if it went to ground but perceptions of altitude and distance aren't necessarily same as the reality and it could have been miles away though it seemed as if it might have hit ground on the farm next door at the time - probably not?
07MAR2012 Lou Ann Johns jasper, ga 22:12 EST not more than 5 seconds I was traveling west and it was in the southwestern sky traveling west very bright white ball that was going extremely fast. As it came closer to earth, it looked like a stone that was on fire on one end. Brighter than the moon, enough to draw my attention. Probably as bright as Venus at its brightest It was jagged at the firey end So wish I had time to photograph.
07MAR2012 Gary Harrison Royston, GA @ 22:18 5-6 sec Almost straight down, in W-NW part of sky. Bright white interior, with greenish outer flames. As bright as the moon in intensity. The trail split once. It was the widest/largest meteor I had ever seen, and was visible below the tree line. I don't see how it could not have made it to the ground.
07MAR2012 Becky Bruckner Atlanta, GA USA 11pm EST approx 10 Ended near 28th story window of highrise facing North Burning green on outside black center Bright burning green on outside black parts bruning off I live in a hgihrise in Atlanta, just happened to be watching tv tonight and saw it out the window. Couldn't miss it. 2 people saw it.
We need your sighting reports to confirm this event; please submit a sighting report. Thank you!
Report your meteor sighting
2012 THE Year of Meteors!
Bill Cooke
NASA Meteoroid Environment Office
-----
Sighting Reports:
07MAR2012 Michelle Murphy,NC USA 10:14 pm Eastern 10 sec North - South facing South west Blue/orange moon no beautiful
07MAR2012 Dena Curtis Murfreesboro, TN 09:45 p.m In my sight - 5-6 seconds I was facing east and I saw the object to my right. If straight above my head was 12 noon; and 3 o’clock was the actual horizon; it was streaking across the sky to my right at about 2 o’clock.; it was traveling across the sky (from left to right) and maybe at a downward angle. VERY large; bigger than any shooting start I have ever seen; and seemed to be close but it probably wasn’t. Several colors to include bright white, blue and orange to yellow; it definitely had a 'tail/trail' that included the same colors but was mostly white. It seemed to be 'shooting' across the sky; as well as falling; but it may be an illusion as we watched it till it went past the horizon. I don't remember a sound. There was a very bright full moon at the same time and this object was definitely AS bright or brighter than the moon. Not a 'glow' just a brighter white. I am pretty sure there were particles or something(s) coming from the tail/trail. I was with my daughter-in-law. We both saw it and could not take our eyes off of it. 5-6 seconds is a long time when all you are doing is staring at something you don't understand. I just knew it was too big to be a shootin star or that it was the biggest brightest longest shooting star I have ever seen.
07MAR2012 Allison Newnan, Georgia,USA 10:20 pm EST 5sec headed straight down, in the WNW sky bright white bright white like the moon no a single ball of light,the brightest I have seen
07MAR2012 ALLISON MILLER CARROLLTON ,GA 10:11 pm EST happened less than 5 sec north west defined ball, large, off white very bright glow and VERY fast glow similar to moon color but much much brighter not that I could tell - it fell or appeared to have dropped at an angle NO
07MAR2012 Dianne Lindsey McClung Madisonville, TN, USA 2230 Eastern 5 sec or a bit more or less maybe S-W I was facing a bit southwest, I think White, no color, seemed to hear a high pitched sound as with a fast projectile but not certain of source of noise. Bright white .. don't know exactly what to compare to, but white-hot appearance It just looked like a ball of white fire with small trail behind No photo. Happened to be looking toward french doors as it seemed to speed from the sky - appeared as if it went to ground but perceptions of altitude and distance aren't necessarily same as the reality and it could have been miles away though it seemed as if it might have hit ground on the farm next door at the time - probably not?
07MAR2012 Lou Ann Johns jasper, ga 22:12 EST not more than 5 seconds I was traveling west and it was in the southwestern sky traveling west very bright white ball that was going extremely fast. As it came closer to earth, it looked like a stone that was on fire on one end. Brighter than the moon, enough to draw my attention. Probably as bright as Venus at its brightest It was jagged at the firey end So wish I had time to photograph.
07MAR2012 Gary Harrison Royston, GA @ 22:18 5-6 sec Almost straight down, in W-NW part of sky. Bright white interior, with greenish outer flames. As bright as the moon in intensity. The trail split once. It was the widest/largest meteor I had ever seen, and was visible below the tree line. I don't see how it could not have made it to the ground.
07MAR2012 Becky Bruckner Atlanta, GA USA 11pm EST approx 10 Ended near 28th story window of highrise facing North Burning green on outside black center Bright burning green on outside black parts bruning off I live in a hgihrise in Atlanta, just happened to be watching tv tonight and saw it out the window. Couldn't miss it. 2 people saw it.
We need your sighting reports to confirm this event; please submit a sighting report. Thank you!
Report your meteor sighting
Meteor/Fireball Report Form
(click here to report a meteor / fireball)
2012 THE Year of Meteors!
