Reports Report 667aai (Event 667-2013)
| Observer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Michael C |
| Experience Level | 3/5 |
| Remarks | Former member of the UACNJ amateur astronomer coalition in Blairstown, NJ. Was scanning the western sky at the time waiting for C2011/L4 (Panstarrs) to become brighter than twilight. When you are squinting into the sky straining to see a comet and a giant, bright object materializes and heads right towards you, it is both incredible and more than a little disturbing. Easily the most amazing object I have seen in my life. I was about ready to dive for cover. It took it's time moving across the sky and the only reason I didn't get the binoculars on it until it was in the West was because I was too stunned to remember I was holding giant binoculars. By the time I was trying to get glass on it, it was passing Zenith and therefore difficult to catch. |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address | Plainsboro Township, NJ |
| Latitude | 40° 19' 34.4'' N (40.326221°) |
| Longitude | 74° 34' 38.66'' W (-74.577406°) |
| Elevation | 21.005394m |
| Time and Duration | |
|---|---|
| Local Date & Time | 2013-03-22 19:50 EDT |
| UT Date & Time | 2013-03-22 23:50 UT |
| Duration | ≈7.5s |
| Direction | |
|---|---|
| Moving direction | From down to up |
| Descent Angle | - |
| Moving | |
|---|---|
| Facing azimuth | 303.48° |
| First azimuth | 321.56° |
| First elevation | 22° |
| Last azimuth | 107.48° |
| Last elevation | 51° |
| Brightness and color | |
|---|---|
| Stellar Magnitude | -16 |
| Color | Bright Pale White, Bright Pale Blue and Bright Pale Green |
| Concurrent Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Delayed Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Persistent train | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Duration | 5s |
| Length | 60° |
| Remarks | There was a bright trail behind the object that made it appear more like a long growing line than a singular moving point. Sparks and flames were coming off that line in the area just behind the forward motion. Ending in a shower of sparks. I caught up with the object with my 15x70 Celestron binoculars in time to see the sparks arcing off the path of the object after it faded out. |
| Terminal flash | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Unknown |
| Remarks | - |
| Fragmentation | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | I saw large 'sparks' and 'embers' emanating from the axis of motion clearly through my binoculars after the point of motion was no longer visible. They followed an arc trajectory off the axis and maintained sufficient brightness to see this arc clearly and distinctly. |