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Re: Bolide size vs. Recovered Stone(s)

Hi All,

There seems to be two camps, one of which thinks fireball is a correct term for 
a bright meteor over mag. -5 that describes with enough detail the fall of 
meteor shower (cometary debris) and meteoroid debris associated with material 
from the asteroid belt. The other camp is using bolide as a term to represent 
sound, detonation of fireball material and breakup of the fireball.

We could be divided on this and go back and forth which would be probably at 
best counter productive. It is my understanding that the terms represent two 
separate types of falls and one doesn't necessarily contradict the other but 
rather is a discription of a fireball that simply breaks apart from the fall.

Certainly there will be the term fireball used in Sky and Tel's articles but in 
my index there is also reference to bolides. Also other publications that I 
mentioned also described fireballs along with bolides as two separate terms.

I am a bit surprise at how difficult this has been to understand. Considering 
the complexities of meteorite specimens that require even more understanding 
and thought. Perhaps someone can go back and find where the terms originated 
and if it has been changed to represent different meanings or if they are one 
and the same. I stick to my original understanding of the terms. I welcome some 
insight to the terms if anyone can truly define them and sight an undisputable 
source.

--AL