Why not simple incandescence
If a one-meter sphere glowed thermally at red/orange temperature as a blackbody, it would radiate tens to hundreds of kilowatts depending on emissivity and temperature. That should create stronger thermal consequences than the cases suggest.
The better working hypothesis is a thin luminous layer, corona or non-thermal plasma-like emission around something else.
What spectroscopy must test
H-alpha near 656.3 nm, sodium near 589 nm and nitrogen/oxygen air-plasma bands are the first spectral targets. If future events show only a thermal continuum, the halo-emission hypothesis weakens.
| Component | Wavelength / signature | Role in hypothesis |
|---|---|---|
| Hydrogen | H-alpha near 656.3 nm | Could relate to affected water vapor/humidity; key spectroscopic marker. |
| Sodium | Na I doublet near 589.0/589.6 nm | Marine/saline aerosols could contribute orange/yellow emission. |
| Nitrogen/oxygen | Air-plasma bands and secondary emissions | Likely real mixture: excited air, not only hydrogen. |
| OH/O/NOx/ozone | Plasma/corona byproducts in humid air | Would leave local chemical signatures in close passes. |
| Thermal continuum | Blackbody-like curve / strong IR | If dominant, non-thermal emission becomes weaker. |