[meteorite-list] FW: Re: possible fireball in Portugal - update

[Jose Campos]

Hi Robert Verish and List,

The portuguese TV station SIC showed last nigh during its news broadcast, a
short video clip of the luminous body seen over Portugal. The video was
taken by a woman from the Algarve (I missed the name of her home town). The
video shows a bright, headless object with a straight, narrow tail, a few
degrees long, (my guess: +-5 deg??) and moving fast, at "tree top level"
from right to left (that's relative to the screen). She reported hearing no
sound at all.
Based on a map of the body's flight path that was published yesterday in the
port. newspaper "Correio da Manhã", which shows the object as having entered
portuguese airspace across the Guadiana River (our border with southern
Spain), what appears to be just south of the +38 deg paralell - I take that
the woman aimed her video camera approx. towards a NE direction.
The object was detected by port. radar at Beja (central south) at 23h19
Lisbon Time = London time); it was detected also by Montijo radar station
(near Lisbon); based on this same map, the luminous object then moved on
towards a WNW direction, well to the right of Lisbon where it was visually
seen by some firemen on duty at the Lisbon airport; Then, it moved on a more
northern direction, closely following the shape of the coast all the way
north, but remaining overland; at Porto (north of Portugal), it was detected
by radar again, at 23h44 with an ascending route, crossing the Minho river
(northern border Portuga with Galicia, Spain). It was seen by hundreds of
people from several portuguese localities. besides the luminous trail, some
also reported a trail of smoke, but no sound at all.
I am surprised that no reports of sightings (as far as I know), were
received from southern or northern Spain! Very strange, considering also the
speeds of 900 to a mere 120 km/h reported by the Air Force, as well as
heights of 2100 m 3000m and 12100 m (not exactly in this order). I have with
me a newspaper clip of the map. Regards to all.
José Campos, Portugal

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robert Verish" <bolidechaser at yahoo.com>
To: "Meteorite-list Meteoritecentral" <meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Cc: <meteoro at sapo.pt>
Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 6:41 PM
Subject: [meteorite-list] FW: Re: possible fireball in Portugal - update


> --------------- Forward Message ---------------
>
> Date: Fri, 4 Jun 2004 18:55:24 +0400
> From: "Andrei Ol'khovatov" <olkhov at mail.ru>
> To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum"
> <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
>
> Subject: Re: possible fireball in Portugal - update
>
> It looks like "airplane associated" indeed. Airplane's
> contrails illuminated by sun?
> The only strange thing is that (if I correctly
> understand) the Portuguese AirForce completely failed
> to indentify them as airplanes... Just a large
> airplane with transponder etc. can cruise at 12 km
> altitude. Maybe some confusing, misunderstanding, etc.
> I hope that Paulo will update on the development.
>
> Best,
> Andrei Ol'khovatov
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Marco Langbroek <marco.langbroek at wanadoo.nl>
> To: Global Meteor Observing Forum
> <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
> Sent: Friday, June 04, 2004 6:34 PM
>
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs)
> possible fireball in Portugal - update
>
> >
> >
> > > Dear Paulo,
> > >
> > > If the radar tracked the lights indeed, they
> > > could not have been meteoroidal bolides.
> > [snip]
> > > Best wishes,
> > > Andrei Ol'khovatov
> > > Russia, Moscow
> >
> > Indeed, altitudes and speeds stated suggest aircraft
> to me.
> >
> > - Marco
> >
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Paulo Heleno <meteoro at sapo.pt>
> > > To: <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
> > > Sent: Thursday, June 03, 2004 5:35 PM
> > > Subject: (meteorobs) possible fireball in Portugal
> - update
> > >
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Portuguese airforce stated that 2 objects were
> detected in radar:
> one, cruising at about 12000 m...the other was
> cruising at 2000 m and then, climbed up to 7000 m, at
> an estimated speed of 800 Km/h.
> > > > No noise was heard, and the object was envolved
> in smoke, with white light
> > > >
> > > > Paulo
> > > > _______________________________________________
>
> meteorobs at meteorobs.org
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> End of meteorobs Digest, Vol 2, Issue 7
>
> -------------- End of Forward Message --------------
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