(meteorobs) lambda Orionid activity

[Roberto]

Hi Bruce,
I have controlled the video of the night between the 18 and the 19 and that
one between the 19 and 20 November.
18-19/11 Little hours of observation why there were many clouds ( from the
18UT to the 05UT). Approximately half of the time covered from clouds and no
meteor LOR.

19-20/11 Night nearly serene and observed for approximately 10 hours on 11
(always from the 18UT to the 05UT) . Various leonids observed and 2 possible
LOR (one to the 22h02m21s UT of mag. 3,0 and the other to the 22h25m19s UT
of 3.5). Possible Speed 45-50 Km/s.
Best Regards,
Roberto Haver


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bruce McCurdy" <bmccurdy at telusplanet.net>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 20, 2007 3:08 AM
Subject: (meteorobs) lambda Orionid activity


Had a good four-hour stint this morning (Nov. 19) catching some late Leonids
and later Taurids. I will file a proper report once I transcribe my taped
notes.

However I thought I should alert the list to some unexpected activity from
the lambda Orionid radiant last night. More than a week before maximum I
wasn't expecting much if anything from this radiant based on Bob Lunsford's
words:

Video data has also shown that activity from northern Orion begin appearing
on November 17 from a radiant located at 5:28 (082) +15. This position lies
five degrees north of third magnitude Lambda Orionis. Current rates would be
low, most likely less than one per hour. These meteors are best seen near
0200 Local Standard Time (LST) when the radiant culminates on the meridian.
Maximum activity occurs on the 28th. At 42 km/sec. the Lambda Orionids
produce meteors of average velocity.

When I did spot one at 09:21 UT (2:21 local time, with Orion on the meridian
and the radiant due south, about 50° altitude), I thought I was lucky. Well
to my surprise there was a second within 20 seconds, and within 15 minutes I
had no fewer than six. All were very close to the radiant, therefore slow
and very difficult to mistake. They all seemed to be dropping down and
around or into Orion.

Then about an hour later there was a second, very brief burst when I saw
three more lambda Orionids with one minute! The last two of these were about
a second apart, both fairly nearly point meteors, dropping one on each side
of the three dim stars (including lambda itself) that constitute Orion's
head. I was once again startled to say the least.

Later I saw two "single" LORs, only the last of which was moving in an
"upward" direction (into Taurus).

As I recall the 9 meteors in the two bursts ranged in magnitude from about 0
to +4 and were mostly very white. Once I transcribe my tapes I will have
more specific data about LOR. :) But first I thought I should provide a bit
of a heads-up, just in case there's more to it than just a little ripple of
activity for a single lucky observer.

Bruce
*****
_______________________________________________
Mailing list meteorobs: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
To UNSUBSCRIBE, email: owner-meteorobs at meteorobs.org
http://lists.meteorobs.org/mailman/listinfo/meteorobs