Fireball report

Reports Report 5428b (Event 5428-2022)

This report has been linked to the following event: Event 5428-2022

Observer
Name	Natalie N
Experience Level	3/5
Remarks	Could it have been a meteor tangent to the atmosphere so that it didn’t seem to fall? It was angled pointing upwards and in a line from 5 o’clockish to 11 o’clockish from our viewing position. Could it have been a night time rocket set off in Maine? Could it have been a comet?

Location
Address	South Bristol, ME
Latitude	43° 56' 2.52'' N (43.93°)
Longitude	69° 33' 21.6'' W (-69.56°)
Elevation	38.06m

Time and Duration
Local Date & Time	2022-08-20 21:45 EDT
UT Date & Time	2022-08-21 01:45 UT
Duration	≈20s

Direction
Moving direction	From down right to up left
Descent Angle	333°

Moving
Facing azimuth	290°
First azimuth	290°
First elevation	50°
Last azimuth	61.28°
Last elevation	-

Brightness and color
Stellar Magnitude	-5
Color	White

Concurrent Sound
Observation	No
Remarks	-

Delayed Sound
Observation	No
Remarks	-

Persistent train
Observation	Unknown
Duration	-
Length	-
Remarks	-

Terminal flash
Observation	No
Remarks	-

Fragmentation
Observation	Yes
Remarks	It actually looked like a rocket contrail because it was long and lit. It probably was not a comet because it was slowly moving, faster than Haley’s comet did in 1997, but slower than a satellite usually does. The tail or trail sparked white as if it were burning and pieces were coming off. It lasted a while (20-30 seconds) and a group of us saw it. Then it seemed to go poof and dissolved into nothingness.

Fragmentation

Observation

Yes

Remarks

It actually looked like a rocket contrail because it was long and lit. It probably was not a comet because it was slowly moving, faster than Haley’s comet did in 1997, but slower than a satellite usually does. The tail or trail sparked white as if it were burning and pieces were coming off. It lasted a while (20-30 seconds) and a group of us saw it. Then it seemed to go poof and dissolved into nothingness.