EXCEPTIONAL FIREBALLS PHOTOGRAPHED IN CENTRAL-EUROPE DURING THE PERIOD 1993-1996

The precise data including atmospheric trajectories velocities, bright nesses and orbits of 32 bright and well determined fireballs photograp hed mostly in the Czech part of the European Fireball Network are pres ented. All these fireballs have been photographed during the period 19 93-1996. Three of these 32 fireballs have a significant terminal mass exceeding 1 kg, another seven belong to the known meteor streams. Nine fireballs are members of the fireball group I, seven belong to group II, 12 to group IIIA, and finally four fireballs are members of group IIIB. The actual state and possibilities of the multistational firebal l photography in Czech Republic are also discussed. The new approach i n the reduction of all-sky photographic records have been used in comp utation of all published fireballs and is demonstrated in detail on th e one, very bright and deep penetrating fireball, which has been photo graphed from nine Czech fireball stations in the night of April 22, 19 95. The very high accuracy of all parameters describing the atmospheri c trajectory of this fireball enabled us to use the new gross-fragment ation model for a determination of very precise :dynamic data. Moreove r, one grating and two prism spectral records of very good quality wer e taken at the nearest station-Ondrejov Observatory. The spectra show that the meteoroid was certainly stony and probably a chondrite. It is one of the best ever documented EN fireballs. Some other interesting cases are also briefly described. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.