The Iberian fireball of 4 January 2004

Authors: Martínez-Frías, Jesús; Madero, Jesús

Source: Interdisciplinary Science Reviews, Volume 29, Number 2, June 2004 , pp. 135-140(6)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

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Abstract:

According to the American Meteor Society, 'fireball' is a term for a very bright meteor, generally brighter than magnitude -3 or -4, which is about the same magnitude as the planet Venus viewed in the morning or evening sky. If the fireball explodes in a bright terminal flash, which typically extinguishes with visible fragmentation, it is then known as a 'bolide', from the Greek word for a throwing spear. This paper describes the circumstances of the recent dramatic fireball sighting over the Iberian peninsula. This event provides a textbook example of such an event, with the usual attendant public excitement, media confusion and cultural misconceptions.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1179/030801804225012644

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