(meteorobs) OT: "Meteors and Meteor Showers" & nebulous meteors

[Kim Youmans]

I've just finished Peter Bias' recent "Meteors and Meteor Showers," and I
think that the best thing I can say about it, beyond the fact that the
author's passion for observing is strongly evident, is that I would
unhestatingly recommend it to anyone with the slightest curiosity about
meteors. It would be an indispensible reference book for all but the
most seasoned of observers. I'm sure *I'll* be returning to it for 
information
as needed in the future.  To echo Bob and Joseph, it is thorough,
detailed, and highly readable.
     In the book,  Peter describes his experience seeing two nebulous
Quadrantids, then in a later chapter begins to doubt what he saw based on a
conversation with two "experts."  Peter, if I may, below please find
submitted my own "nebulous" Quadrantid experience, posted to the list back
in 2001...the only difference in the descriptions given are that Peter's
nebulous meteors were QUAs, while the two I saw were SPOs.  In my
case there was no doubting what I saw as I had such a clear view of the
two slow meteors...not only can we say they exist, they aren't 
shower-dependent.
Both observations *were* on Jan 3/4, but I don't think Peter gave the year
of his observations in the book (unless I overlooked it).

Kim Youmans
>>>>>>>>>>
While clear skies gave expectations of a good showing
for the Quadrantids last night, I must admit that while the
Quads were strong, individually they were upstaged by a
magnitude +2 nebulous meteor that, at 9:04 UT appeared from
the SW and very slowly crawled across the sky before fading
out near the zenith. It had a teardrop shape and a rather long
wake -- its slow speed allowed me to get a very good look at
it.  It was absolutely ghostly in appearance!  Another identical
though smaller nebulous meteor (and with a shorter path length)
appeared from the NE at 10:09UT.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>



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