Reports Report 256b (Event 256-2012)
| Observer | |
|---|---|
| Name | F C |
| Experience Level | 3/5 |
| Remarks | I look for reports in the local media but did not find anything. I was going to contact "Janet.L.Anderson@nasa.gov" to inquire about this (as MSFC is in Huntsville, AL) when I realized there was a tab to report a sighting so, I did not contact her. |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address | Huntsville, AL |
| Latitude | 34° 44' 36.4'' N (34.743444°) |
| Longitude | 86° 36' 8.23'' W (-86.602285°) |
| Elevation | - |
| Time and Duration | |
|---|---|
| Local Date & Time | 2012-02-21 17:58 CST |
| UT Date & Time | 2012-02-21 23:58 UT |
| Duration | ≈1.5s |
| Direction | |
|---|---|
| Moving direction | From up left to down right |
| Descent Angle | 135° |
| Moving | |
|---|---|
| Facing azimuth | 159.70828° |
| First azimuth | 151.91123° |
| First elevation | 65° |
| Last azimuth | 159.6653° |
| Last elevation | 35° |
| Brightness and color | |
|---|---|
| Stellar Magnitude | 1 |
| Color | Amber, yellowish |
| Concurrent Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Delayed Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Persistent train | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Unknown |
| Duration | -1s |
| Length | -1° |
| Remarks | The object looked like it hit something or disintegrated at re-entry with the Earth atmosphere. During the short observation it had a trail that looked the same color as the fireball. (not after but during it) and two-thirds its path it seemed to split into two distinct paths. The object split resulted in one following the path and the alternate one taking a more aggressive down fall towards the Earth at almost vertical trajectory. The event from this point on lasted less than a second. All of it probably about 1.5 seconds. The exact time was between 5:57 and 6 PM on Tuesday February 21, 2002. It was intense enough to catch my attention as I was walking away from COSTCO grocery approaching my car not particularly looking at the sky. In retrospect, given the elevation and time of day, I think that the color was perceived and the object was probably man-made. It might had been the result of the Sun reflected on the surface of the object that gave the reminiscence of amber/yellow. Most likely this was space debris rather than a meteor. |
| Terminal flash | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | towards the Earth at almost vertical trajectory. The event from this point on lasted less than a second. All of it probably about 1.5 seconds. The exact time was between 5:57 and 6 PM on Tuesday February 21, 2002. It was intense enough to catch my attention as I was walking away from COSTCO grocery approaching my car not particularly looking at the sky. In retrospect, given the elevation and time of day, I think that the color was perceived and the object was probably man-made. It might had been the result of the Sun reflected on the surface of the object that gave the reminiscence of amber/yellow. Most likely this was space debris rather than a meteor. |
| Fragmentation | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | - |