(meteorobs) Re: 5th magnitude "ceiling"

[Robert Lunsford]

Rich and All,

I feel it is simply far easier to see a fixed sixth magnitude star verses a 
sixth magnitude meteor zipping along at twenty degrees per second. The 
limiting magnitude estimates are still good indicators of sky transparency, 
which definitely affects the activity ones sees.

Those who report an LM of sixth magnitude and report many sixth magnitude 
meteors are either underestimating their LM or underestimating their meteor 
magnitudes.

I have seen a few sixth magnitude meteors. They are impossible to see unless 
they occur near the center of your field of view. I see many more fifth 
magnitude meteors but they are far more difficult than viewing fifth 
magnitude stars.

I hope this helps!

Bob

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard Taibi" <rjtaibi at hotmail.com>
To: <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Cc: <lunro.imo.usa at cox.net>
Sent: Tuesday, October 24, 2006 2:28 PM
Subject: FW: 5th magnitude "ceiling"


> Let me complete my thought!  I sent the original message below when I 
> meant to "save draft."
>
> My point was that inspecting all of the reports observers posted, and for 
> those who reported nearly +7 magnitude skies, no one reported seeing a 
> sixth magnitude meteor.  To be sure, there were many fifth magnitudes.  It 
> strikes me as being odd that there was almost a two-magnitude margin 
> between the faintest observed meteors and the limiting magnitude.
>
> I wonder what observers think may be happening when they observe?  Do you 
> think that our limiting magnitude determination procedures somehow mislead 
> us in terms of faintest meteors we can expect to see?  Is this explainable 
> in terms of acuity in the center of the field of view?  After all, we find 
> limiting magnitude by looking fixedly at star regions. (Perhaps the best 
> predictor of faintest meteor to expect is limiting magnitude "off axis" 
> from our central vision.)  But if this is true, what about deep sky 
> observer's maxim that averted vision shows the faintest objects?  May 
> moving light sources, as meteors are, explain some of this "5th magnitude 
> ceiling?"
>
> Best wishes,  Rich
>
>
>>From: "Richard Taibi" <rjtaibi at hotmail.com>
>>To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
>>Subject: 5th magnitude "ceiling" Date: Mon, 23 Oct 2006 21:26:24 -0400
>>
>>I have read with admiration and awe all of you who had clear, 6th 
>>magnitude skies, and many Orionid meteors.  I checked a few of you who 
>>reported skies darker than +6: Bob L., George Gliba, Michel V.,
>>
>>
>
>