(meteorobs) One answer, one question

[Bruce McCurdy]

Dustin wrote:

> RECORDING METHOD:  Manual:  Talking watch/paper/pencil
>    Kept dead time to 1 minute/hour by writing data without looking at
paper...
> (messy writing but keeps my eyes on the sky.)

    Can I recommend you acquire a microcassette recorder? That in
combination with the talking watch/time cube will have you all set. My count
method is different (10 minute bins) but with a watch automatic timer and a
mini-tape recorder, I never took my eye off the sky once in five hours last
night. (Well, except to pour myself a coffee in the dark.)  And I was able
to keep track of results for 7 observers.

    Speaking of which, I have now transcribed the raw counts, and all 7
observers here in Edmonton averaged over one meteor per minute for the
night, with the three most experienced meteor observers (Russ Sampson,
Alister Ling and myself) coming in with averages of 65, 65 and 67 per hour.
I still have to figure out the ZHRs, and here's where my question comes up.
Is there a quick and dirty way to do this? Anywhere on the 'net where
there's a ZHR calculator where one simply has to enter lat, long, time and
Lm? (he asked hopefully) Or simple methods people use? Mine is a laborious
one that always starts with a few Internet searches (for the formula, for a
sine table, etc.) and ends, often badly, in the Help menu on Excel.
Suggestions welcomed!

    regards, Bruce