Marseille, France — 2 August 1871
Magnificent red object
- Camille Flammarion reports an observation made by Mr. Coggia, also the discoverer of a comet. At 10:43 P.M. he observed a long-duration “bolide” that could not have been a classical meteor, given its slow rate of progression in the sky. He described it as “a magnificent red object.” It moved eastward, slowly, clocked for no less than nine minutes. It stopped, moved north, and was stationary again at 10:59. It turned eastward again and was lost to sight at 11:03 P.M.
Source: Coggia. “Observation d’un bolide, faite a Observatoire de Marseille le ler aout,” Comptes Rendus 73 (1871): 397-8. 483. Case: W437