(meteorobs) Binocular meteors

[belatrix]

Thanks Malcolm,

On 27/11/2004, at 1:51 AM, Malcolm J. Currie wrote:

> The better the limiting magnitude, the greater the number of telescopic
> meteors are visible compared with the viual rates.  That's because of
> the restricted apparent field of view means the telescopic observer 
> sees
> an higher proportion of apparently fainter meteors, which are more
> susceptible to poor conditions.
>
> There were predictions that the Leonid display would be rich in faint
> meteors.  Sadly I had to deputise at a business meeting, and was unable
> to observe on Nov. 19 when skies cleared near dawn after snow the
> previous night.
>
  ... what percentage (if any) of these faint telescopic meteors on any 
given clear, moonless night at a dark sky location, would be low (or 
any) orbit mini satellites? - how fast would they whiz through a 6 or 
2.3 d binocular fov? as fast as a faint meteor? - often thought that 
some of them must be satellites I guess - I did read somewhere there 
are thousands up there?.

> Why don't you try plotting them on charts on a regular basis?  We
> telescopic observers are thin on the ground, and AFAIK non-existent in
> the southern hemisphere.

Observers of all kinds sometimes *appear* to me to be very thin on the 
ground in the Southern.H  ;-)
- just a population thing I suppose?

> We do have some charts online and I'm going to scan some more. For 
> small
> binoculars, star atlases which go to +9, like Uranometria, can be used,
> or even print something using a planetarium/starchart package, as the
> IMO charts don't extend far to the south.
>
  I did have planetarium chart printouts with me, and meant to do proper 
obs. - I even had my talking clock for its first outing! - but the 
comets won out on the morning.

Best Regards
Kearn