On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 22:06:13 +0000, Joe Simpkin wrote:

Driving NE from Quy in East Cambs tonight I saw a fast, possibly low,
pale green blob (not a point like a meteorite) pass in front probably
travelling N. The general level of haze suggests it must have been
close and low rather than some distance away and high. Any other
observations?

What do you mean by fireball. Astronomical debris? as it certainly wasn't
thunderstorm related.

I don't think it was astronomical because of the apparent size (definite
shape visible), but it disappeared above the horizon, not behind trees,
and no hills looking NE until you reach Norway....

Track was more or less horizontal. I thought about a recognition flare
from an aircraft, but saw no aircraft lights. And in this electronic
age they are not used much, if at all. Firing flares from an aircraft
just there is going to upset Marshall's Cambridge airport, and the USAF
at Mildenhall & Lakenheath.

For overall weather conditions: I'd just left a pub car park (in a
state to drive legally!) at the same time as a friend who is also an
amateur astronomer and sky phenomena watcher. We _always_ look up and
remark on the vis. Sadly he drives west from there.


One of the fundamental reasons I became interested in atmospheric
phenomena was seeing a yellow, hissing, spitting fireball passing low
over my head in rain but not a thunderstorm, as a teenager. I can give
you a six-figure map reference for it, but only plus/minus a year or
two, sadly. But from that I do know that fireballs are not exclusively
connected with thunderstorms.


Mike