(meteorobs) Ageing Eyes and Observed Meteor Rates ?

[Marco Langbroek]

Op 27-8-2011 08:47, tony markham schreef:
> Does anyone know whether there have been any investigations into how observed
> meteor rates change as we get older ?
> For example :
> Reduced pupil dilation should mean a loss of about 0.5 mags in limiting mag
> between the ages of 20 and 50. Becoming short sighted should also mean stars are
> less in focus and also affect the observed LM.
> ... and how do these (and any other effects of ageing) affect our ability to see
> moving objects like meteors ?
> Tony

Yellowing of the eye-lens could be an influence as well.

Becoming shortsighted can be countered for by glasses and need not have 
influence at all; but not if it gets very bad of course.

One problem is that with more years of active observing, your experience will 
grow, yielding you more meteors, potentially upsetting the statistics.

The main problem with getting older I have experienced, is not the quality of 
the eyes, but the fact that you tire more easily and cannot take long observing 
sessions that well anymore.

- Marco


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Dr Marco (asteroid 183294) Langbroek
Dutch Meteor Society (DMS)

e-mail: dms at marcolangbroek.nl
http://www.dmsweb.org
http://www.marcolangbroek.nl
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