Reports Report 5234b (Event 5234-2026)
| Observer | |
|---|---|
| Name | Brian K |
| Experience Level | 1/5 |
| Remarks | All I can say is, I was quite startled by it. I live in the mountains of Northern Idaho and see many meteors, shooting stars I think is the common term. Tiny streaks in the sky. I can’t emphasize the fact that this appeared massive in size. I truly anticipated hearing explosion shortly after it went behind the mountain to north of this cabin. I’ve never seen a shooting star leave a vapor trail like that. Nor have I ever seen anything that close, or appearing to be that close. |
| Photo |
|---|
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| Location | |
|---|---|
| Address | Wolf Creek, MT |
| Latitude | 46° 59' 53.68'' N (46.998244°) |
| Longitude | 112° 3' 55.07'' W (-112.065298°) |
| Elevation | 1085.135m |
| Time and Duration | |
|---|---|
| Local Date & Time | 2026-07-08 22:32 MDT |
| UT Date & Time | 2026-07-09 04:32 UT |
| Duration | ≈3.5s |
| Direction | |
|---|---|
| Moving direction | From up left to down right |
| Descent Angle | 152° |
| Moving | |
|---|---|
| Facing azimuth | 353.96° |
| First azimuth | 342.14° |
| First elevation | 23° |
| Last azimuth | 345.85° |
| Last elevation | 13° |
| Brightness and color | |
|---|---|
| Stellar Magnitude | -28 |
| Color | Orange |
| Concurrent Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | No |
| Remarks | - |
| Delayed Sound | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | The approach angle was very steep. It appeared massive and seemed to have a black large core. I’ve never seen anything like that. I was certain I would hear an immediate impact. I saw an orange flash of light approximately 40 minutes later followed by loud boom. The orange flash of light appeared on the lowest part of the horizon as if it had impacted the sound associated with it, oddly sound like somebody struck a metal trashcan with a baseball bat. The flash of light was approximately 30° northeast of where I originally saw it. The picture I downloaded is what I would say the vapor trail. You could see that the atmospheric winds distorted shape after time. That was probably five or 10 minutes after I saw it. The upper most part of the vapor trail would be consistent with where I first saw it and it’s approach angle |
| Persistent train | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Duration | 99.99s |
| Length | 10° |
| Remarks | It appeared to be an ultra thick elongated white vapor trail like a large aircraft. But appeared very close. The photo I downloaded is the vapor trail that I describe. Over the course of 10 minutes you could see the wind blew the right side of it laterally. That which I would think is the highest portion again would have been the degree of approach. |
| Terminal flash | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Yes |
| Remarks | Stand above, I saw an orange flash 30° from where I saw the original event. It was 40 minutes later, however.. The duration I actually saw this object was only three seconds. Again, it appeared to have a very steep approach angle. Appeared suddenly. Seem to have a very large black core with orange sparkler type trail immediately leaving the vapor trail that you have a picture of. |
| Fragmentation | |
|---|---|
| Observation | Unknown |
| Remarks | - |