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(meteorobs) Levy
In a message dated 96-07-30 10:15:39 EDT, you write:
<< I do not know David Levy personally, but I am surprised to read that he
did nothing for a section of ALPO. I was under the impression that Levy
was more attentive than this when it came to amateur work. Or am I just
learning the too human reality about yet another astronomer "hero"?
Larry
>>
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Well,
I'm sorry I have to say this, but before Levy got vaulted into astronomer
"stardom" from his and shoemakers famous comet that clobbered Jupiter, I had
the necessity of having to try contacting Levy at Mt. Palomar after one
night. It was in 1992 when Bob and I witnessed a spectacular -15 fireball
that produced a very loud sonic boom. I had a good plot and other times off
my chart recorder etc. I was convinced that it reached the ground from all
appearances(there were no terminal burst), but needed some other reliable
observer in the area to help pinpoint the location. From my estimate, the
darn thing probably landed somewhere just West of Mt. Palomar of all places.
I knew Levy was at Mt. Palomar at the time and wrote at least 2 letters to
him with the hopes he heard from anyone up there that they witnessed a
spectacular fireball. It wasn't totally impossible, for the time was in the
evening around 9:30 pm. I never even got a reply...yea or nay. Ever since I
lost respect of him as an amateur astronomer....I think of him more as a
cutthroat showboat that has found a way into a prestigious place.
George Z.