The pre-fireball fireball

[x6gas]

Just want to log the fireball that I saw prior to the big one that was over the UK last night.

Was 8:45 local time, probably started south of Cassiopeia; saw it cover maybe 10 degrees of arc; bright orange fireball which took about 3 seconds to cover the 10 degrees... About 30 degrees above the horizon for me.

Heading pretty much South to North, I think finishing around about Polaris from where I am in Ag Nik on Crete. Odd thing was I think - honestly - that it was below cloud level;would welcome any comments as to whether this is even possible. Otherwise it must have been between the fairly heavy banks of cloud.

Sorry to have missed the Big One but this must have been part of the same thing...

[starman1969]

I saw something quite bright at around the same time. It lasted about 3-5 secs and was very bright. It went from left to right, 40 degrees up near the Hercules constellation, from my viewpoint.

I was just making my way to my dark location at the time.

[Shibby]

Your description has Chinese lantern stamped all over it!

[x6gas]

Your description has Chinese lantern stamped all over it!

Ha! I m reasonably sure that what I saw was no Chinese lantern! It was a fireball, sodium orange with a firey orange tail I would say of 5 or so degrees of arc. Never seen a Chinese lantern put out that kind of trail.

As I have said, though, it appeared to be below the cloud but I may have simply seen it between clouds... not sure on that point.

I saw something quite bright at around the same time. It lasted about 3-5 secs and was very bright. It went from left to right, 40 degrees up near the Hercules constellation, from my viewpoint. I was just making my way to my dark location at the time.

From the UK? This would have been 6:45pm BST so not even dark in the UK...