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Re: (meteorobs) Counting method time accuracy
To me, it makes no sense whatever to lumpt things together in a
30-minute count, when the simple, rapid, act of recording each
individual meteor's time will give the prurient information anyway.
An efficient observer won't lose anything significant to dead time
by logging the time of appearance at the same juncture as noting mag
and type. If we're going to start throwing away timing data, why not
say, by the same argument, that mags, or trains aren't important
either? Common sense, surely - the time of the event is information
about the event, so don't waste it!
BAA observers are certainly advised to record to the nearest minute
for each meteor. Better still, if we can get bright events to +/- 3
seconds, the data is of use in calibrating simultaneous photographic
records. Imagine trying to identify events with an accuracy of +/- 30
minutes.... There's also the problem of losing fin-scale things in
the rates - what if an outburst is only of 10-15 minutes' duration?
The only info recorded on the IMO basis would then be that sometime
in that half-hour, something happened, whereas timing of individual
events gives it to the minute.
My advice is: log time, type, magnitude and train fror EVERY meteor
you see - if you want to break things into 30-minute (or whatever
other interval takes your fancy) counts thereafter, you're free to do
so, and nothing relevant will have been lost!
Neil Bone
Director, BAA Meteor Section
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