[meteorite-list] Fwd: 5:15 UT slow, bright Mediterranean, bolide

[Marco Langbroek]

Sterling wrote:

>     So, why was it leaving a luminous trail:
> "a bright object that left a long trail"? Hmmm.
> Answering my own question, it is listed as 
> one of "satellites with periodically varying 
> brightness." It must have "flashed."
> 
> 
> Sterling K. Webb

Answer: No. It was observed while it decayed and that's why it had fireball 
characteristics: it was entering our atmosphere and burning up.

The website you mentioned will show it as "in orbit" even if it no longer isn't, 
for as long as they (or SSC) didn't update their orbital element database.

SSC has not issued a final TIPS message yet but does show it as expected to decay.

- Marco


-----
Dr Marco Langbroek  -  SatTrackCam Leiden, the Netherlands.
e-mail: sattrackcam at wanadoo.nl

Cospar 4353 (Leiden):   52.15412 N, 4.49081 E (WGS84), +0 m ASL
Cospar 4354 (De Wilck): 52.11685 N, 4.56016 E (WGS84), -2 m ASL
SatTrackCam: http://home.wanadoo.nl/marco.langbroek/satcam.html
Station (b)log: http://sattrackcam.blogspot.com
-----