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Remarks |
Dear AMS: I live in Marin County, California USA. On Sat. night, 8/12, I saw something
extraordinary: a MASSIVE meteor streaking across the sky. The approximate
direction of its travel appeared to be "southwesterly," travelling in a huge
arc from just to the "left" of the Big Dipper, in an enormous swath across
and down to the left (south/southwest). The huge, fiery, bright-white head of
the meteor was almost as big as, say, a full moon's face that had been
squeezed into a misshapen, ragged shape. The tail was gigantic, too, leaving
a long, wide but brief dusty arc in the path where the meteor had travelled.
From my vantage point, the size of the meteor was so massive that it
appeared to be right in front of me.
As this monster meteor was so much larger than the other Perseids we saw, and
appeared to be so much closer, I am wondering if it was indeed an errant
Perseid "on steroids," or if it was perhaps a solo act of its own? I am
wondering if the Academy has a record of the night sky that might show this
event, as I would love to learn your impressions. From my point of view, this
was unforgettable and probably the meteor of a lifetime!
Thank you for your consideration.
Pamela Spitz |
