Reports Report 1378h (Event 1378-2011)
| Observer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Allen |
| Experience Level | 4/5 |
| Remarks | Observation took place while observing the night sky during a backpacking trip, unaware it was the peak of the Leonids. Location was in front of an Appalachian Trail shelter in near total darkness by two individuals, myself directly observing the event and the other witnessing the light cast by the flash through the trees. This was easily the brightest and most memorable flash I have seen from a bolide in 25 years of observations, casual or otherwise. |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address | Roan Mountain, TN |
| Latitude | 36° 10' 19.69'' N (36.172136°) |
| Longitude | 82° 0' 40.09'' W (-82.011137°) |
| Elevation | - |
| Time and Duration | |
|---|---|
| Local Date & Time | 2011-11-18 20:20 EST |
| UT Date & Time | 2011-11-19 01:20 UT |
| Duration | ≈3.5s |
| Direction | |
|---|---|
| Moving direction | From up left to down right |
| Descent Angle | 135° |
| Moving | |
|---|---|
| Facing azimuth | 130.46603° |
| First azimuth | 130.91915° |
| First elevation | 50° |
| Last azimuth | 194.23997° |
| Last elevation | 36° |
| Brightness and color | |
|---|---|
| Stellar Magnitude | 1 |
| Color | Green to Blue |
| Concurrent Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Delayed Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | While not carefully listening for sound, none was apparent or notable. |
| Persistent train | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Duration | 10s |
| Length | 25° |
| Remarks | Train was a solid smoke trail a degree or so wide immediately following a very bright green meteor from initial appearance around Orion\'s Belt and lingered for some time after the subsequent brilliant blue explosion of the bolide but windy conditions and low ambient light prevented a complete observation of its dissipation over time. |
| Terminal flash | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | In a valley between two tree-covered ridges minus leaves, the meteor appeared as an intense green light out of the east travelling west. Color was so unique it took more than a second to identify despite seeing fireballs with relative frequency. As quickly as I could point out the appearance of the fireball to my companion facing 180 degrees away from it toward me, it began to fragment into 3 distinct pieces which immediately began a downward arcing trajectory accompanied by a brilliant blue flash of light. The light was so intense she thought I had taken a flash photo behind her back as it illuminated the ground and all surrounding objects in just that way, although the light may have appeared more intense due to being in near total darkness with adjusted vision. |
| Fragmentation | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | - |