A fireball travelled north to south, from horizon to horizon, due east of our location, at an elevation of about 45 degrees when due east of site.The object appeared as a very bright meteor, a brilliant white head, obviously exfoliating burning material, creating a burning tail approximatelly 2 or 3 degrees in width. The tail was not as bright as the head, and burned with yellow and red colors. The speed of the object seemed slower than that of meteors in showers I've seen, and it did not fall. It appeared to maintain a constant altitude throughout the view time. The observor is an amateur photographer/watercolorist and retired civil engineer.