to my son who lives in Kansas. I'd actually called him up because I had an astronomy sort of question, so we were both outside looking at the sky. All of a sudden he said, "Oh, wow!" I asked what that was about, and he said he'd just seen a meteor. It wasn't visible where I was, but I read about it in the paper next day. It was almost as cool being on the phone with him as it would have been to see it myself.

Spitfire of ATJ

(32,723 posts)

4. I've seen green ones while driving through the desert....

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 04:49 PM

Jul 2015

Sure snaps you out of white line fever.

Uncle Joe

(58,564 posts)

6. I wonder what makes them green in appearance?

Reply to Spitfire of ATJ (Reply #4)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 06:12 PM

Jul 2015

xocet

(3,875 posts)

7. Here is a bit from NASA on that question....

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #6)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 06:28 PM

Jul 2015

Background facts on meteors and meteor showers.

...

Source of light When meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere, they collide with numerous air molecules. Those collisions sputter away the outer layers of the particle, creating a vapor of sodium, iron and magnesium atoms. In subsequent collisions, electrons are knocked into orbits at larger mean distances from the nucleus of the atoms. When the electrons fall back to their rest positions, light is emitted. This is the same process as in gas discharge lamps.

...

Colors of meteors The color of many Leonids is caused by light emitted from metal atoms from the meteoroid (blue, green, and yellow) and light emitted by atoms and molecules of the air (red). The metal atoms emit light much like in our sodium discharge lamps: sodium (Na) atoms give an orange-yellow light, iron (Fe) atoms a yellow light, magnesium (Mg) a blue-green light, ionized calcium (Ca+) atoms may add a violet hue, while molecules of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) and oxygen atoms (O) give a red light. The meteor color depends on whether the metal atom emissions or the air plasma emissions dominate.

...

http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/meteor.html

Uncle Joe

(58,564 posts)

8. Thanks for that addition and answering my question, xocet.

Reply to xocet (Reply #7)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 06:30 PM

Jul 2015

xocet

(3,875 posts)

9. You're welcome. n/t

Reply to Uncle Joe (Reply #8)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 06:36 PM

Jul 2015

eppur_se_muova

(36,317 posts)

12. I believe both copper and boron can cause a green color.

Reply to xocet (Reply #7)

Sat Aug 1, 2015, 09:31 AM

Aug 2015

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flame_test says barium can too. Next time you see a meteor, grab a spectroscope !

xocet

(3,875 posts)

14. Can you recommend a good portable spectroscope? ....

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Reply #12)

Sun Aug 2, 2015, 04:31 PM

Aug 2015

The last one I used probably weighed about 8 lbs to 12 lbs....

eppur_se_muova

(36,317 posts)

15. Well .... there's always this little item ...

Reply to xocet (Reply #14)

Mon Aug 3, 2015, 02:02 AM

Aug 2015

http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/1-4-2013/foldup-spectrometer-iphone

Talk about upping your nerd cred ...

xocet

(3,875 posts)

16. That is pretty cool. Thanks. n/t

Reply to eppur_se_muova (Reply #15)

Mon Aug 3, 2015, 05:58 PM

Aug 2015

ybbor

(1,558 posts)

5. Saw one similar once

Reply to Uncle Joe (Original post)

Fri Jul 31, 2015, 05:09 PM

Jul 2015

It was on my first trip, of many, to Chesler Park in the Needles District of the Canyonlands Nat'l Park. Watched it travel all the way across the sky until it disappeared behind some of the Needles. Everyone in my party saw it. Spectacular!