possible decay observation

Walter Nissen (dk058@cleveland.Freenet.Edu)
Sat, 6 Jan 1996 07:07:25 -0500

Any comments about whether this could be a decay? 
 
He uses the phrase "right out", by which I would guess he means 
"incorrect". 
 
Cheers. 
 
Walter Nissen                 dk058@cleveland.freenet.edu 
 
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Did you see the evening star? 
 
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> From: dave@west.net (Dave) 
> Newsgroups: sci.astro,west.general,tri.general 
> Subject: What the *&*# was THAT?!?! 
> Date: Thu Jan  4 22:56:37 1996 
 
>         That's what I said to myself tonight, at 1910 local (PST), 
> 0310 UTC, as I observed a (relatively) huge fireball fall in the south. 
 
> I'm in Santa Barbara, CA, USA.  I was walking to my car at that time, 
> and in front of me, approximately due south, and about 15 degrees 
> elevation, I saw a bright white fireball, approximately 5-10 times 
> the apparent diameter of the North Star, with a long, fat orange tail 
> of fire.  The tail was probably 100 times the diameter of the object. 
 
> I'm not into astronomy at all, but it seemed to be travelling at 
> about one-tenth the apparent speed of what I've seen of the Perseids. 
> It seemed to be falling in an East South-Easterly direction, and I 
> saw it for perhaps 1.5 seconds before it disappeared behind the trees. 
> It was showing no signs of burning out. 
 
> I've *never* seen any meteor move this slowly, have this kind of 
> tail, or last nearly this long.  I suspect whatever it was landed in 
> the Pacific. 
 
> How can I find out more about it? 
 
> David Carmean                           WestNet Communications, Inc. 
> System/Network Administrator            7 W. Figueroa St, Suite 20 
> WestNet Communications, Inc.            Santa Barbara, CA, 93101, USA 
> <dave@west.net>                         (805)892-2133, fax: (805)892-2135 
 
 
> From: dave@west.net (Dave) 
> Date: Fri Jan  5 11:50:49 1996 
 
> Michael Dworetsky (mmd@zuaxp0.star.ucl.ac.uk) wrote: 
 
> : Two possibilities come to mind: a rocket launch from Vandenberg AFB, 
> : although from the directions cited this may be unlikely, or a satellite 
> : reentry.  From the slow speed indicated, you are right to suspect that a 
> : meteor is unlikely. 
 
>         Well, the first guess is right out....I lived three miles from 
> Vandenberg for twenty years, and have seen tens of night launches of 
> all types.  Definitely not what this was.  But a reasonable guess
> nonethless because you couldn't have known that.

>         Thanks.