Comments on: Meteor Activity Outlook for September 1-7, 2012

By: bill harte

bill harte — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:49:57 +0000

i am from the midlands of ireland myself and yhree friends were out walking friday last when i looked up and saw 2 big fireballs followed by 8 to 10 smaller ones flying from left too right it was spectacular ,it dident seem to be coming down too earth just headin across the sky we watched for nearly a minute and a half as it went over the horison wow

By: amsadmin

amsadmin — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 20:58:54 +0000

Jay and All,

A fireball is not necessarily closer, but is larger in comparison to your average meteor. It all depends on the size of the object as to what it is called with meteors being the smallest and asteroids the largest.

I hope this helps!

Robert Lunsford
American Meteor Society

By: jay

jay — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 03:52:57 +0000

Is a fireball a meteor that is just closer to your position or concordance making it appear larger compared to the numerous others that is farther away,…?
Meteor,astroids,&other types of debris,man made or natural, falling stars,fireballs,what is the difference in the types of objects that light up on entering the atmosphere :,if its all debris, what makes one or the other by name?
I saw a fireball in 1976 ,December, it was a warm day in central Alabama, aboutt 35 miles south of Bham,noone but kids saw this thing,,we were 6-7 yrs old,it whizzed by overhead, big&bright,in comparison it was bigger than the evening autumn sun&could actually hear it kinda sizzling as it shreeked by,the remains were found some several miles SSE of the place we saw it,our elementary school principal took us to the site&the local news took our pic examining the remains, i still have the clippings, i wished i knew what became of the remains,it looked like a lava rock with molten iron mixed through out it,thought I’d share