(meteorobs) belgian observervations during second world blackout

[Hunter, Robert]

1. Light pollution was negligible in the early-1940's, except in the
very heart of metropolitan cities. Street lighting, of the flux we
consider normal today, was virtually non-existent.  Not even the
Champs-Elysees was lit to the level we now consider necessary for a
Wal-Mart parking lot.  Today, well over 95% of the population of eastern
US and western Europe reside in locales where the sky is less dark than
the sky was in the suburbs then.

2. However, if there was a blackout in progress, the only people who
were in places where they could see the sky were too busy to be looking
for meteors.


-----Original Message-----
From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
[mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of Michel Vandeputte
Sent: Monday, July 17, 2006 1:46 PM
To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
Subject: re: (meteorobs) belgian observervations during second world
blackout

Hi,
Sorry, I wasn't born yet ;-)

I do not know if there is somewhere (or excist) an archive in Belgium
containing the data from this period. Maybe Chris Steyaert or Paul
Roggemans got an idea about the meteor activity during this period? 

In an old manual for visual observations from P Roggemans and Hans
Betlem (FEMA 1980) I learned that Belgian amateur astronomers were very
interested in observing meteors from the beginning of the 20th century.
Then there was a strong interest during the fifties. The Belgian work
group for meteor observations (VVS) was formed in 1969 by Mr Vandaele.
Observations increased and the group was coordinated by Van den Broucke
(1973), Paul Roggemans (1979), Peter Aneca and Hendrik Vandenbruaene
during the nineties till 2003. For the moment I am busy with gathering
all the visual data and other work group stuff. 

Kind regards,

Michel
Belgium

Hi all! 
Could anybody tell me something more detailed about belgian (and other,
if there are any) meteor observations during second world war, when they
observed from cities during blackouts? I need it for my review of the
history of meteor astronomy... 
Nikola
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