Re: [APML] Leonids

["Chris & Jennifer Cook" <ccjd@ix.netcom.com>]

I too was disappointed.  John Boudreau, Matt BenDaniel and myself observed
from a site that is usually mag 6.5 without the moon, from Cape Cod, MA.
Had some cirrus
in the west the hour before dawn and some fast moving puffy fair weather
cumulus up until around 1am, pretty clear from 1am-4:30am.  Temp around
33F near dawn.  Wind was a issue the first half of the night.
No storm.  Very few bright fireballs.  One did leave a train for
several minutes early in the evening though. The activity did pick up around
the 4:30am-5am EST peak and we were all set for a big show then nothing.
Compared to last year, it was a true dud.

Chris


==================
Chris Cook
Astronomical Photography
www.abmedia.com/astro


-----Original Message-----
From: Jerry Lodriguss <jml@astropix.com>
To: astro-photo@seds.org <astro-photo@seds.org>
Date: Tuesday, November 19, 2002 8:38 AM
Subject: [APML] Leonids


>
>Observing and photographing from Batsto, NJ:
>
>We had some cirrus come in and out during the night, but overall it was
>remarkably clear and transparent until about 11:00 UT when some heavier
>stuff rolled in, just as the Clear Sky Clock predicted with remarkable
>accuracy.
>
>We saw about a half dozen earth grazers between 04:00 and 4:30 UT from the
>first predicted peak but nothing outstanding. Then not much until around
>9:30 UT. Of course we did take a nap from 7:00 until 9:00 UT, perhaps that
>explains it a bit. <G>
>
>The rate picked up considerably and seemed to peak at 10:36 UT with 7
>meteors in about 7 seconds. But that was a single instance.
>
>The limiting naked eye mag was 5.0 with the full moon up, which means it
>was remarkably transparent when the cirrus wasn't around. It was about 28
>degrees F.
>
>We saw several fireballs, and maybe one bolide, but nothing
>knock-your-socks off amazing. Only one smoke train that lasted about 20
>seconds.  Most of the other meteors seemed not very bright. No one heard
>any meteor sounds like last year.
>
>Overall, I would have to say that even with the limiting mag that good and
>great transparency, we were a bit disappointed, I guess because the show
>last year was so spectacular and the moon cut down so many of the faint
>ones this year.
>
>Jerry
>
>Astronomical photography: http://www.astropix.com
>
>
>
>
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