2012-07-12 - Saint Augustine, FL - Fireball

Red fireball? flys across St. Augustine sky!

I stepped outside and was star-gazing and noticed several private and commercial aircraft that were flying by at their normal altitude. My garage that I was standing outside of faces due south and I was scanning the stars in the western sky and noticed one that was moving. From a far it didn't seem to be moving very fast, but as it approached its speed became faster and faster until at approximately 45 degrees from my view point, I was finally able to make out a true color which was red and its elevation seemed to be extreme upper atmosphere.

Moving from the west to the east from my 45 degree point of view on the west to my 45 degree p.o.v. on the east at what seemed to be the upper atmosphere it cleared that range within approximately 35-40 seconds. I continued to watch it until I was no longer able to see it in the east.

According to the NOAA the wind at that time was blowing ESE at 5 knots.