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Re: (meteorobs) Re: early Oct meteor notes

In a message dated 96-10-08 13:43:33 EDT, you write:

<< George on Oct 4/5 plotted some Delta Aurigids, I am sure, rather than
Delta
 Aquarids.  Names do look very similar.
  >>
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You're right Norm....I've meant Delta Aurigids...hey what the heck...they
both start with the letter "A". 

As to strange objects in the sky.  I forgot to mention that I believe it was
around November of 1994...maybe 93...Bob and I saw a fuzzy patch low in our
eastern sky growing to a size about twice that of the full moon and was about
4th magnitude...not collectively...anyhow, we were puzzled at the time as to
exactly what it was, but had hunches that it was something being dumped out
in space from a rocket.  At the time I thought it was some sort of barium
experiment to similate a comet to study the solar wind etc....anyhow, after
reporting about it in WGN as a letter, I noticed in Sky and telescope a few
months later that the WIND satellite was lunched that morning from Cape
Kennedy and it's purpose was to do something similar to what I expected. It
also might have been a rocket stage separation or...? I don't know anything
about it really, but I felt satisfied that this was the result of our
sighting...I never did felt mystified.  It lasted about 3 minutes before it
totally dissipated from my vision. Bob and I joked about contacting the local
news media to report a "UFO"...but for the purpose of pulling a prank. 

I've seen my share of bats, moths and owls flying over...also some kind of
medium size night flying bird that I haven't identified yet. Also seen a
variety of mosquitos close up but never had total puzzlement...I knew what
they were.  I have seen house flies and horse flies but not at night...But I
can definitely say that I've never ever even seen an elephant fly..dot despite
our proximity to Disneyland.  I too always thought that if there were
something UFO like exotic out there that I would stand a good chance in
seeing it.  To date...everything has been reasonably explanable. 

I would like to add something about Meteor Colors... I read a while back ...I
believe in IMO's older edition of Meteor Observing Handbook a little blurp
that if you are a cigarette smoker that this can effect your night vision.  I
accept this since I know cigarette smoking can effect the body in many ways.
I usually assumed that this meant that lessening one's ability to perceive
darker skies...but I see no reason why it's not possible for one's color
vision to be effected as well. As for those who smoke other stuff, I can also
visualize without too much difficulty a variety of perception problems. I've
never participated in smoking anything...except unintentionally during a
variety of smoked filled structure fires...which we are taught to expect a
decline in alertness and general well being. This I can vouch for...and
knowing this, I'm confident to reasonably assume that smoking anything may
effect color vision as well. So...I advise those who are serious meteor
observers to go get your nicotine patches while they last if need be. 

George Z.