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Re: Magnitude Estimates



>As a beginner in seriously observing meteors, I am having a tough time
>estimating magnitude brightness. I observed the '96 Lyrids for NAMN but all
>the meteors magnitudes were 0 or +1 in magnitude to me. Should I write some
>star mags on my charts befor I start my session?  Any help would be great.

I can definitely recommend doing that as it was the technique I used. Prior
to your watch, locate some conveniently placed stars and put a note by them
on your charts. Try to cover as many of the magnitude classes as possible.

Another thing I would suggest is to stick to whole magnitudes, ie 1.0, 2.0
etc. Forget attempting to split a magnitude such as 2.5. As a past variable
star observer, both naked eye and telescopically, I find it difficult to
accept that an observer can estimate a meteor's magnitude to that accuracy,
especially considering the duration the meteor is visible, the fraction of
that duration that the meteor is at its brightest, the distance from the
center of vision (DCV) that it appears, and the distance between the meteor
and the comparison star(s). I know this may be a controversial view to some
people, so should we open a further discussion on it?

Mark Davis
MeteorObs@charlestondot net
Awendaw, South Carolina, USA
Coordinator, North American Meteor Network (NAMN)
Assistant Recorder, ALPO Meteors Section
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