How bright of a bolide would a Saturn IV-B stage be if it hit Earth

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the brightness of a Saturn IV-B stage if it were to enter Earth's atmosphere. Participants clarify that the Saturn IV-B, with an empty mass of less than 15 tons, would not be as bright as the Chelyabinsk meteor, which had an estimated mass of 14,000 tons. The consensus is that the Saturn IV-B would likely not produce a significant bolide effect upon atmospheric entry, possibly lacking the brightness and duration of larger meteoroids. Additionally, there are still five Saturn IV-B stages remaining in orbit, specifically from Apollo missions 8 through 12.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of bolides and their atmospheric entry characteristics
  • Knowledge of the differences between meteoroids, meteors, and meteorites
  • Familiarity with the Apollo program and Saturn IV-B stage specifications
  • Basic concepts of mass and size comparisons in celestial objects
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the atmospheric entry dynamics of small celestial bodies
  • Explore the characteristics and historical data of the Chelyabinsk meteor
  • Investigate the current status and trajectory of remaining Saturn IV-B stages
  • Learn about the classification of meteoroids and their impact on Earth
USEFUL FOR

Astronomy enthusiasts, space mission historians, and individuals interested in the dynamics of atmospheric entry of celestial objects.

swampwiz
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I understand that there are a few of these still out there that have basically become Earth-crossing asteroids. It would seem that they wouldn't be as bright as the recent Chelyabinsk meteor.
 
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How bright of a bolide would a Saturn IV-B stage be if it hit Earth

A technical correction, if it hit the Earth it wouldn't be bright.

You really meant " as it went through the Earth's atmosphere" :smile:
swampwiz said:
It would seem that they wouldn't be as bright as the recent Chelyabinsk meteor.

hard to say, maybe just as bright but not for as long a time

There are still 5 stages out there, Apollo's 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12Dave

edited error
 
Last edited:
davenn said:
Well, they are of similar size and mass, so it would be interesting to see what they looked like in comparison
Not by my reckoning. The mass of the meteorite )Wikipedia) is estimated at 14,000 tons. The empty mass of the S IVB is less than 15 tons . ...
 
hutchphd said:
The mass of the meteorite )Wikipedia) is estimated at 14,000 tons

Ohh you are right I know where I mis-read ... edited

and that is meteor / meteoroid, not meteorite, recovered meteorite material is only around 1000kg = 1 tonne
 
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hutchphd said:
Not by my reckoning. The mass of the meteorite )Wikipedia) is estimated at 14,000 tons. The empty mass of the S IVB is less than 15 tons . ...
Ah, I should have taken that into account. It wouldn't be much at all - perhaps not even strong enough to be a bolide. And of course, Skylab was about the same size
 
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