Reports Report 449fb (Event 449-2015)

This report has been linked to the following event: Event 449-2015
Observer
Namea H
Experience Level1/5
RemarksWe saw the fireball while sailing offshore, just as we were changing watch at 23:00. First white light lit up the western sky much brighter than a full moon would have been (like a giant flashlight beaming down on us), then it turned a bright blue/green, and finally yellows into orange and reds before fizzling out. We were sailing north on a course of 344 degrees with SOG of 7.6 knots and at 23:10 after seeing the fireball logged our position at 29 53' 48" by 080 56' 37"; the moon had set at about 21:30 and the stars were mostly obscured by clouds; those that were visible were hazy. Just a few lights along the Florida coast were visible now and then to the west, so the bright entrance of the fireball over Florida lit up the ocean and the boat as if a light had been turned on. It seemed to appear directly to our left, which would have been W or WSW and traveled to the right, WNW or NW. When it began to burn orange and red, a dark core was visible. It traveled through the sky at the height of the mid-level clouds that were present, and they served as its back drop.
Location
AddressSt Augustine, FL
Latitude29° 50' 21.64'' N (29.84°)
Longitude 80° 52' 17.61'' W (-80.87°)
Elevation-24.58m
Time and Duration
Local Date & Time2015-02-21 23:00 ?
UT Date & Time2015-02-22 04:00 UT
Duration?
Direction
Moving directionFrom up left to down right
Descent Angle99°
Moving
Facing azimuth273°
First azimuth273°
First elevation63°
Last azimuth310°
Last elevation32°
Brightness and color
Stellar Magnitude-16
ColorFirst white light lit up the western sky much brighter than a full moon would have been (like a giant flashlight beaming down on us), then it turned a bright blue/green, and finally yellows into orange and reds before fizzling out, at which point a dark c
Concurrent Sound
ObservationYes
Remarksfizzling noise
Delayed Sound
ObservationNo
Remarks-
Persistent train
ObservationNo
Duration-
Length-
Remarks-
Terminal flash
ObservationNo
Remarks-
Fragmentation
ObservationUnknown
Remarks-