Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/18/84; site vaxwaller.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!qantel!vlsvax1!zehntel!varian!vaxwaller!chip
From: chip@vaxwaller.UUCP (Chip Kozy)
Newsgroups: net.astro
Subject: 9/19 fireball
Message-ID: <337@vaxwaller.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 20-Sep-85 11:29:41 EDT
Article-I.D.: vaxwalle.337
Posted: Fri Sep 20 11:29:41 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 29-Sep-85 05:55:43 EDT
Distribution: net
Organization: Varian, Walnut Creek, CA
Lines: 62

*** REPLACE THIS WITH YOUR ***

	Yesterday, Sept 19, at about 10:37 PM north-central California
was shown some of mother natures own pyrotechnics.  Luckily I was in
a position to witness this phenomina.

	At approximately 10:37 PM i noticed what looked like some
of those not-too-spectacular sky rockets that a lot of people seem
to have around the 4th of July.  As I watched, though, I realized
that this was something different.  The description of what I saw follows:

	At a latitude roughly the same as San Francisco, and about 30
miles East of SF, the object was first sighted due North of the town
of Martinez, Cal.  The object was about 35-40 degrees above the horizon,
travelling roughly SE.  Trajectory appeared to be flat (parallel to the
horizon), with the object moving relatively slowly.  The "head" of this
thing was white and trailed what appeared to be "sparks" (as opposed to
the usual "tail" I've seen in other meteors), with chunks breaking off
and curving downward to disappear shortly thereafter (the pieces that
broke off were also white at the "head").  The "sparks" ranged from
a yellowish-orange to reddish-orange, and, behind the main "head", 
trailed about three finger widths (maybe a bit more...I was stopped
in the middle of the street on my motorcycle at this time, and was
trying to watch the thing and watch for traffic at the same time).
The main body continued on, and I lost sight of it behind a building
(funny, didn't SEEM that low :-)).  During its' "flight" it shed 
about six pieces.  Toward the end of my view of it, it seemed to 
stop coming apart at the seams...as if it had skipped out of the
heavier atmosphere.  Total viewing time was about 15-20 seconds 
(estimated due to the realtive inaccessability of my watch beneath
two layers of leather).  One funny effect was that while watching it,
a plane crossed its' path...plane was high enough to not be heard,
but the running lights were clearly seen...and the thing went behind
the plane.  (Would have loved to have my camera about then.)

	Anyway, that's my experience.  I do have a couple of questions.

	1. Can any conclusion be drawn from the above observation as to
	   A. composition
	   B. size

	2. Does this sound like a meteor(ite), or more like a piece
	   of space junk comitting suicide?

	3. Is this one of the more rare sightings (as opposed to the
	   sightings during the various "meteor showers" throughout
	   the year)?

	Anyway, I thank you for putting up with a neophite like myself,
and any info you can give me regarding the above would be greatly
appreciated.

					Happiness;
					Chip

-- 


		Chip Kozy   (415) 939-2400 x-2048
		Varian Inst. Grp.  2700 Mitchell Dr.  
		Walnut Creek, Calif.  94598
		{zehntel,amd,fortune,resonex,rtech}!varian!chip


Brought to you by Super Global Mega Corp .com