[meteorite-list] Image of PA/MD bolide passing near M31

From: Rob Matson <mojave_meteorites_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sun, 12 Jul 2009 11:22:30 -0700
Message-ID: <GOEDJOCBMMEHLEFDHGMMGEDNDNAA.mojave_meteorites_at_cox.net>

Hi Kelly and List,

> I haven't checked carefully yet, but that means the trajectory
> as seen from Freeland, MD, from was more toward NE than ENE (Rob:
> how did you deduce the reverse of that, NE to SW? seems
> inconsistent with the York video.)

I hadn't yet seen the York video, nor did I know which way that
camera was pointed. If you assume the fragment tracks were running
very close to parallel (like I erroneously did) then the bolide
would have to have been approaching Baltimore since it's the only
way for the tracks to increase their separation while getting lower
in elevation. But now that I've seen the York video, you are correct --
the direction was from SW to NE, and the fragments are dispersing at
a considerable angle from each other.

> BTW, I'm a "he." ;-)

Sorry about not taking 10 seconds to do a Google search, where I
could have removed that ambiguity. ;-) I try to be careful to
cover the bases, particularly when it comes to making assumptions
about names in male-dominated fields.

The good news is that all I need to compute a precise bolide flight
azimuth are accurate coordinates for Mike. You'll then have a
search line, which I can further narrow down using the York video.

--Rob
Received on Sun 12 Jul 2009 02:22:30 PM PDT