Photo by Larry Stange (c) 2009 - YC Sentinel
This Bolide's duration was apprx. 1 second ending in a single brilliant explosion bright enough to be visible goodly distances and likely well into Nevada. Near Yuba City`s Eastern portion of Zenith.Estimated magnitude to be 3/4 full moon. Light curve is a clean single very large pulse. No post explosion products noted on this first filming by the Sentinel camera.
PDT = April 7, 2009 at 0359:31
update:
Examination of Handyavi frame records shows what appears to be a single piece may have been discharged a short distance from the point of explosion which became bright then faded out. Slow frame rate does not allow good tracking of post explosion by-products.
Speculation on this unusual event....
The extremely steep & sharp light curve suggests this fireball did not burn up. It may have just blown itself apart which would account for the one or two(?) visible light particles afterward.
Pictures and updates:
http://www.geocities.com/stange34@sbcglobal.net/2009pp3.html
Larry Stange, YCSentinel
Related? from Texas:
Do you have a guess to the source of your fireball. The reason I am asking is I just had a second major bolide a few mintues ago since saturday night.
This one this evening was very green with a bright terminal burst.The one saturday night was white and about a third of the way through it's flight it exploded and there was a stream of debris,with about 8 luminus bodies, following the main fireball.
Both look to me to be earth grazers, my guess is the radiant is somewhere between Virgo and Ophiuchus, maybe some where in the area of Serpens Caput.This best I can pin it down at this time.Anyone have any guesses to the source active?
Thomas DormanHorizon City,Texas--- On Tue, 4/7/09
Related? from California:
I am wondering if this is the same sighting I saw last night. 9:18 pm
(or shortly thereafter as I was on the phone at that time to my office and mentioned it....)
I am in Southern California... I was heading south on the 5 fwy from the city of Orange... Large GREEN fireball heading from north to south.... seemed to slow down and got brighter just before it send out... very impressive to be so bright with the moon at 3/4 and being in the middle of the lights of the city...
Richard, California
