superbolide

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/suːpəɹˈboʊ.laɪd//suːpəɹˈboʊ.lɪd/

noun

A bolide with a high apparent magnitude.

Scrabble 16

Meanings

nounsuperbolide (plural superbolides)

plural superbolides

  1. astronomyA bolide with a high apparent magnitude.

    Meteorite falls are always in the bolide or superbolide category. Nevertheless, it is not true that the brighter the bolide, the larger the meteorite.

    2015, William F. Bottke, Francesca E. DeMeo, Patrick Michel, Asteroids IV, University of Arizona Press, →ISBN, page 258
    2 more examples

    On February 15, 2013, many on Earth were watching for news of the approach of an asteroid labeled 2012 DA14. Suddenly, those watchers – and millions of others around the globe – were startled by news of a superbolide, or super bright meteor, above the region of Chelyabinsk in Russia.

    2016 February 15, Deborah Byrd, “Chelyabinsk meteor mystery 3 years later”, in earthsky.org, archived from the original on 01 Oct 2020

    In February 15, 2013, a superbolide meteor (brighter than the Sun) entered Earth’s atmosphere over Chelyabinsk, Russia, and exploded at an altitude of 23.5 km. Eyewitnesses could feel the intense heat from the fireball, and the blast wave from the explosion blew out windows in buildings.

    2018, Samuel J. Lin, Jeff Sanny, William Moebs, University Physics Volume 1 LR, University of Arizona Press, →ISBN, page 149

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see

Origin

Cite this entry
APA

superbolide. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/superbolide

MLA

“superbolide.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/superbolide. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “superbolide,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/superbolide.

Source: superbolide on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.