Pavel Spurny reports:

Here are my first preliminary results, but I don't expect any dramatic changes in comparison with final results (except the accuracy)

1. Date and time: 21.1.1999 at 18:05UT. Uncertainty in time is unfortunately about 2 minutes (we have only visual observations)
2. Length of the photographed luminous trajectory: 71.1 km
3. Duration: 6.7 seconds
4. Slope: 59.7 deg
5. Max. magnitude: -18 +/- 2
6. Beginning point:
   • height: 81.9 km
   • longitude: 18.18 deg E
   • latitude: 50.15 deg N
   • velocity: 16.6 km/s
7. Terminal point:
   • height: 20.5 km
   • longitude: 18.83 deg E
   • latitude: 49.83 deg N
   • velocity: 4 km/s
8. Apparent radiant:
   • R.A.: 39.0 deg
   • Decl: 80.0 deg
   • Initial velocity: 16.6 km/s
9. Heliocentric orbit (J2000.0):
   • a = 1.8 AU
   • e = 0.45
   • q = 0.970 AU
   • Q = 2.6 AU
   • arg. per. = 197.6 deg
   • asc. node = 301.271 deg
   • inclination = 18.1 deg

The meteorite fall is highly probable, but at this moment it seems that the mass of the biggest pieces is only in order of hundreds of grams, and it is not enough for a systematic search. The impact area lies in Poland, near the Czech-Poland border.

EN210199.JPG (245kB!!)

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This page was last modified on February 5, 1999 by Casper ter Kuile and Hans Betlem