If You are an Active Observer, How Many Bolides do You See Annually?

I am not so active as I used to be, but I frequently go out to have a
look at the sky on a clear night. I would say that in the peak years of
my activity I would see from two to four bolides per year from my
Central Maryland site. Many were bright enough to illuminate the
landscape briefly, though none that I saw was accompanied by sound.

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On Saturday, February 16, 2013 12:43:53 PM UTC-5, Davoud wrote:
I am not so active as I used to be, but I frequently go out to have a

look at the sky on a clear night. I would say that in the peak years of

my activity I would see from two to four bolides per year from my

Central Maryland site. Many were bright enough to illuminate the

landscape briefly, though none that I saw was accompanied by sound.

In all the years I have been observing I have seen three. I have never heard a "boomer".

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I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that

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On Saturday, February 16, 2013 9:43:53 AM UTC-8, Davoud wrote:
I am not so active as I used to be, but I frequently go out to have a

look at the sky on a clear night. I would say that in the peak years of

my activity I would see from two to four bolides per year from my

Central Maryland site. Many were bright enough to illuminate the

landscape briefly, though none that I saw was accompanied by sound.



--

I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that

you will say in your entire life.



usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

It might depend on your definition of the word *bolide*. If you mean this one, from Wiki...

"The IAU has no official definition of "bolide", and generally considers the term synonymous with "fireball". However, the term generally applies to fireballs reaching magnitude -14 or brighter.[1] Astronomers tend to use "bolide" to identify an exceptionally bright fireball, particularly one that explodes (sometimes called a detonating fireball). It may also be used to mean a fireball which creates audible sounds."

.... then I would say, personally, that I see perhaps a dozen a year. Understand that I always observe from dark skies well away from population centers and with good horizons, and might total 150-200 hours per year under such night skies, usually in California but sometimes in Arizona or Texas.

\Paul A

On Sat, 16 Feb 2013 12:43:53 -0500, Davoud wrote:

I am not so active as I used to be, but I frequently go out to have a
look at the sky on a clear night. I would say that in the peak years of
my activity I would see from two to four bolides per year from my
Central Maryland site. Many were bright enough to illuminate the
landscape briefly, though none that I saw was accompanied by sound.

I avoid the use of "bolide" since it lacks formal definition and has
confusing and conflicting informal uses.

I think an active observer is likely to see perhaps a dozen or more
fireballs in a year, and one or two especially bright, fragmenting
fireballs. The sort of spectacular, turn the night into day events
that occasionally show up on video might never be seen, even by
someone who is outside a lot at night. That is my personal experience,
as well as my inference from examining camera data.

"palsing" wrote in message
...

On Saturday, February 16, 2013 9:43:53 AM UTC-8, Davoud wrote:
I am not so active as I used to be, but I frequently go out to have a

look at the sky on a clear night. I would say that in the peak years of

my activity I would see from two to four bolides per year from my

Central Maryland site. Many were bright enough to illuminate the

landscape briefly, though none that I saw was accompanied by sound.



--

I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything
that

you will say in your entire life.



usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

It might depend on your definition of the word *bolide*. If you mean this
one, from Wiki...

"The IAU has no official definition of "bolide", and generally considers the
term synonymous with "fireball". However, the term generally applies to
fireballs reaching magnitude -14 or brighter.[1] Astronomers tend to use
"bolide" to identify an exceptionally bright fireball, particularly one that
explodes (sometimes called a detonating fireball). It may also be used to
mean a fireball which creates audible sounds."

.... then I would say, personally, that I see perhaps a dozen a year.
Understand that I always observe from dark skies well away from population
centers and with good horizons, and might total 150-200 hours per year under
such night skies, usually in California but sometimes in Arizona or Texas.

\Paul A
===================================
I have seen one in daylight, when I was 10 years old. One does not normally
look up during the day and so many will be missed, but I was flying a kite
at the time.

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On Sat, 16 Feb 2013 13:12:03 -0700, Chris L Peterson
wrote:
I avoid the use of "bolide" since it lacks formal definition and has
confusing and conflicting informal uses.

I think an active observer is likely to see perhaps a dozen or more
fireballs in a year, and one or two especially bright, fragmenting
fireballs.

What's thé formal definition of fireball??

Chris L Peterson:
I avoid the use of "bolide" since it lacks formal definition and has
confusing and conflicting informal uses.

I think an active observer is likely to see perhaps a dozen or more
fireballs in a year, and one or two especially bright, fragmenting
fireballs.

Paul Schlyter:
What's thé formal definition of fireball??

I wondered that, as well. I suspect that the formal definition of
fireball, as with the formal definition of all that exists, is what Mr.
Peterson declares it to be.

--
I agree with almost everything that you have said and almost everything that
you will say in your entire life.

usenet *at* davidillig dawt cawm

On Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:11:54 +0100, Paul Schlyter
wrote:

What's thé formal definition of fireball??

The IAU formally defines a fireball as any meteor brighter than the
brightest planet, which is generally taken as magnitude -4.

"Bolide" is sometimes used by astronomers in reference to a fireball
that is observed to break up, and it is used by geologists in
reference to a crater forming object.

On Sat, 16 Feb 2013 17:36:04 -0700, Chris L Peterson
wrote:
On Sat, 16 Feb 2013 22:11:54 +0100, Paul Schlyter
wrote:

What's thé formal definition of fireball??

The IAU formally defines a fireball as any meteor brighter than the
brightest planet, which is generally taken as magnitude -4.

That's the definition of bolide too: a meteor brighter than Venus.

"Bolide" is sometimes used by astronomers in reference to a fireball
that is observed to break up, and it is used by geologists in
reference to a crater forming object.

I think we can find other uses of "fireball" as well, particularly by
non-astronomers...

On Sun, 17 Feb 2013 07:54:46 +0100, Paul Schlyter
wrote:

That's the definition of bolide too: a meteor brighter than Venus.

No, it isn't. It is one definition, used by somebody (?), and without
any formal basis. Even in discussing meteors, it means different
things to different people.

I'm not saying that there's anything inherently wrong with words that
lack formal definition within any particular professional community,
but where formal definitions exist, it's usually preferable to use
them. "Bolide" is avoided by many in the meteor research community
precisely because of the confusion around exactly how to interpret it.
"Fireball" is perfectly clear.

I think we can find other uses of "fireball" as well, particularly by
non-astronomers...

Of course. But when used in an astronomical context, it is clearly
defined. That's generally a good thing.