(meteorobs) electrophonic meteors

[David E. Hostetter]

After our planetarium program tonight, a gentleman stopped by the console to
talk about meteors and meteorites.  He wasn't an observer, just interested.
Among other things, he said that he remembered watching the Leonid storm in
1966 with a bunch of friends just north of Alexandria, Louisiana (roughly
the center part of the state).  At the time, their site was a very dark
location.  He said that he heard some of the meteors as they happened (not
with the lag expected taking the speed of sound into account) and that he
didn't think he ws imagining it because many (but not all) of his friends
also heard the meteors.  The sound occurred only with the brightest meteors,
and he described it as sounding "like a cap gun -- pop, pop, pop."

I've read a lot of reports of electrophonic sounds and have heard it myself,
but this is the first time I recall getting a report of someone hearing
electrophonics from many meteors during a meteor shower.  Anyone know if
this is a common thing?  For that matter, has anyone on the list experienced
that?  I know I haven't!

Thanks!

Dave Hostetter
Curator of the Planetarium
Lafayette (LA) Natural History Museum & Planetarium