(meteorobs) Binocular meteors

[Swift, Wesley]

Binoc Folks,

	Just a note to remind folks that intensified video observers record
similar limiting magnitude (8th mag) meteors as binocular observers and tend
to be more numerous.  

	Low earth objects and debris will be slow compared to meteors and
tend to orbit in planes that include the launch site at the time of launch.
They are also pro-grade and will come from the West: NW for decending node
SW for ascending node.   Check out http://satobs.org/satintro.html for more
info.  Some folks put a lot of thought into this.

Wes

============================================
        Wesley R. Swift, Jr
     Raytheon ITSS / Sverdrup MSFC Group
     Marshall Space Flight Center
     EV13, Bldg 4487, room C-151a
     Huntsville, Al 35812
     (256) 544-1392 Fax 544-0242
 
       Home:
      704 Dellwood Rd.
      Huntsville, Al 35802
      wesley.swift at comcast.net
        (256) 881-4438
===========================================



-----Original Message-----
From: belatrix [mailto:belatrix at ozemail.com.au] 
Sent: Saturday, November 27, 2004 7:28 AM
To: Global Meteor Observing Forum
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Binocular meteors


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

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