[meteorite-list] Fireball Over Lower Hudson Valley

[Darryl Pitt]

I was asked to post this note by Blake Bell, a lovely fellow I had the  
pleasure of meeting not so long ago.


Begin forwarded message:

> From: "Bell, Blake A" <bbell at stblaw.com>
> Date: November 21, 2009 6:25:38 PM EST
> To: "Darryl Pitt" <darryl at dof3.com>
> Subject: Fireball Over Lower Hudson Valley - Can you Post to List  
> for Me, Please?
>
> Darryl:
>
> I have tried to post to the list a half dozen times in the last six  
> months, but my messages never appear.  Can you help by forwarding  
> this to the list?  I hope it may be of help.
>
> At 5:48 p.m. this evening (Sat., Nov. 21, 2009, Eastern Time in the  
> U.S.), my son and I witnessed a large fireball over what would  
> appear to be the lower Hudson Valley north / northeast of New York  
> City.  I am unaccustomed to the technical descriptions necessary,  
> but will do my best to describe what we saw.  I was driving at the  
> time, so I cannot say if there was any sound that accompanied what I  
> now assume to be a large meteor.
>
> We were about to intersect with the Boston Post Road near Long  
> Island Sound in Pelham, NY (10803) and were facing North, slightly  
> Northeast.  To our right at an estimated 60 to 70 degrees above the  
> horizon and moving from right to left (very approximately east to  
> west) and declining (I am guessing) at about 30 degrees from level  
> was a beautiful and large fireball.  I would estimate it at very  
> roughly about 1/20th the size of the moon.  There clearly was a  
> circular, yellow-orange center trailed by what can only be described  
> as plumes of flame -- mostly yellow with tinges of orange.  It was  
> not "sparkling" and we did not see anything break away from the main  
> mass during the time we witnessed the event.  The circular mass of  
> light (trailed by plumes) continued across the horizon before  
> disappearing behind trees, always trailed by a fiery tail that did  
> not seem to extend at any time more than two or three times the size  
> of the radius of the central mass.  The fiery tail remained "very  
> close" to the central mass while we observed the event.
>
> Although I have seen many meteors, I have only seen one other event  
> like this (during the 1970s in Charlottesville, Virginia).  This was  
> even more substantial than what I saw then.  I hope that this  
> results in other reports.  It certainly was thrilling for my son and  
> I to observe.
>
> Best regards and hope all is well!
>
> Blake
>
> ____________________________
>
> Blake Bell
> Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP
> 425 Lexington Avenue
> New York, New York  10017
>
> Tel:  (212) 455-2935
> Fax: (212) 455-2502
> bbell at stblaw.com
> ____________________________