Reports Report 3214c (Event 3214-2022)

This report has been linked to the following event: Event 3214-2022
Observer
NameBill P
Experience Level5/5
RemarksI am an expert observer observing the Tau Herculids from 21:03 to 23:46 at an extremely dark site. I saw 60 mostly slow Tau Herculids with 12 dimmer than 5+ magnitude at zenith. from 22:00-22:15 I saw 15. The dark site visibility was greater than 6+ magnitude, with zero lights visible lying flat facing south observing the Tau Herculids when a massive explosion far brighter than the Full Moon occurred 11* above the horizon nearly due south directly in my line of sight. It instantly lit up the entire desert so that I could see everything in the desert, including colors. I could see the color of my dark red clothes almost like daylight. A reddish circular cloud was at the explosion point. A fraction of a second later a second smaller explosion occurred at the same place still lighting up the entire desert about as bright as the Full Moon. I was looking directly at it and could see the same circular cloud 2.5 times the diameter of the Moon, 1.5 degrees across. Another fraction of a second a third explosion in the same place in the circular cloud also lit up the entire desert, but dimmer about a bright as first quarter Moon. That direction and low altitude would put the meteor across the Mexican border well over 100 miles away. There is only nearly empty Tohono O'Odham Native American reservation to the border and the same tribe south of the border in Mexico with no lights within. It was too low to be seen in Phoenix, but should have been seen SW of Tucson and WSW from Kitt Peak Observatory. Out of 21,100 lifetime meteors observed this was the brightest bollide ever witnessed.
Location
AddressGila Bend, AZ
Latitude32° 47' 39.12'' N (32.79°)
Longitude 112° 15' 22.14'' W (-112.26°)
Elevation565.2m
Time and Duration
Local Date & Time2022-05-30 23:16 MST
UT Date & Time2022-05-31 06:16 UT
Duration≈1.5s
Direction
Moving directionFrom up left to down right
Descent Angle176°
Moving
Facing azimuth180°
First azimuth185.75°
First elevation11°
Last azimuth186°
Last elevation10°
Brightness and color
Stellar Magnitude-22
ColorRed
Concurrent Sound
ObservationNo
Remarks-
Delayed Sound
ObservationNo
Remarks-
Persistent train
ObservationYes
Duration10s
Length2°
RemarksExplosions made a round cloud with structure within it a little off round clumps at the top right
Terminal flash
ObservationYes
RemarksI was in a totally dark site 6+ magnitude, with zero lights visible lying flat facing south observing the Tau Herculids when a massive explosion far brighter than the Full Moon occurred 11* above the horizon nearly due south. It instantly lit up the entire desert so that I could see everything in the desert. I could see the color of my dark red clothes almost like daylight. A reddish circular cloud was at the explosion point. A fraction of a second later a second smaller explosion occurred at the same place still lighting up the entire desert about as bright as the Full Moon. I was looking directly at it and could see the same circular cloud 2.5 times the diameter of the Moon, 1.5 degrees. Another fraction of a second a third explosion in the same place in the circular cloud also lit up the entire desert, but dimmer about a bright as first quarter Moon. That direction and low altitude would put the meteor across the Mexican border well over 100 miles away. There is only nearly empty Tohono O'Odham Native American reservation to the border and the same tribe south of the border in Mexico with no lights within. I looked with high powered 20x60 binocs later, but could not verify an ongoing cloud.
Fragmentation
ObservationUnknown
Remarks-