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re: (meteorobs) Fwd Casper ter Kuile: wintertime observing d...
Marco,
Having been out there at -10C, I will never take it lightly, but it is an
excellent reminder to those who might not take it seriously enough. It can
be deadly, or if your lucky only extremely painful. Take is seriously. As
they say, you snooze, you lose (maybe toes, maybe your life). Be prepared,
and if you are observing alone, be much more cautious. I'm still waiting
for St Nick to bring me proper head covering:-)
And Marco, thanx very much for that detailed discussion of data correction
considerations! I learned a lot real fast, despite the fact that I'd read
much of it before in some form or another. Now, I've just got to get a copy
of Peter's article.....
WinterWaynederland
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Original Text
From: Lew Gramer & Karen Simmons <lewkaren@tiacdot net>, on 12/2/96 1:49 PM:
To: "Meteor Observers Mailing List" <meteorobs@latradedot com>
SUBJECT too long. Original SUBJECT is '(meteorobs) Fwd Casper ter Kuile:
wintertime observing dangers'
---------------------- Original Message Follows ----------------------
To: meteorobs
From: Casper ter Kuile <pegasoft@cc.ruudot nl>
Subject: wintertime observing dangers
>From Marco Langbroek
In his Leonid report George Zay wrote:
> numerous brass monkeys are reporting in to local hospitals due to certain
> anatomical parts frozen off.
> had contemplated dialing 911 for the same reason....'.
Ah great George! Finally you lazy Californian get to meet the real observa-
tional hardships! Or sort off, since we all agree that 32 F (0 C) is
nothing of course. I invite you for a real Dutch Geminid or Quadrantid
campaign: temperatures near or below -10 C guaranteed! Then you'll know
what wintertime observing amounts too... I have allways been jealous of
those Californian observers that can observe in shorts with beach babes
around in case meteor rates become boring (by the way George, I have
wondered since Pamela Anderson has appeared on Dutch TV: is it true that
all these Californian babes live in Silicon Valley, or am I confusing
things?!?).
Now for the serious part: while George and I are joking, it might be
usefull for those who are 'new' on meteorobs. to point out that wintertime
observing can be dangerous indeed. While George jokes about 'certain
anatomical parts frozen off', I experienced serious frostbite for real
during meteor observations. It happened during the Geminids of 1991 and was
not fun at all. We observed for two full nights (12hrs each) with tempera-
tures at a -10 C level, and I had not taken care properly of my feet (wrong
boots). So they got seriously frozen after only a few hours. This may sound
'cool', but in reality it is not something you want to experience. It is
extremely painfull, not so much a high raging pain, but that even more
unbearable kind of pain: a constant creepy lingering pain, each minute of
the day, for over two weeks. And the skin on your toes starts to turn white
and then starts to blister of. I still have a partial loss of nerve senses
in my right big toe. And I don't ever want to experience that again.
So take good care if temperatures drop below the freezing point. Be sure
your body and especially your feet are well insulated. 'Moon boots' are
ideal, as is military iso-dress for your body. The special blankets you can
buy in shops selling alpine and outdoors equipment serve well too. Low
voltage electric blankets are nice too. Be sure you have a good insulating
sleeping bag. Note that you'll stay warmer when you stay inside your
sleeping bag instead of continuously going in and out. Also, it may sound
strange, but a cap on your head really helps to keep your feet warm as
well!
When temperatures are low, never go out observing alone. Always take a pal
with you and take care that your partner doesn't get into sleep. Falling
into sleep can be deadly in wintertime, please don't underestimate this
danger! When laying flat (and especially when asleep) you lose body heat
much more rapidly and are much more vulnerable to cold and frostbite (and
Hyperthermia!) than when in an upright posture (don't underestimate this
difference!). When you feel tired, stop observing and get into a warm
shelter to avoid falling asleep in the field.
Hyperthermia is another danger even more 'stalky' and dangerous than
frostbite. This is the silent killer... It doesn't have to be freezing cold
for this one to attack you. Windy conditions with temperatures slightly
above or around freezing point are enough. Once you realize that it gets to
you, it is to late. You'll turn slow, and then get into a kind of coma from
which you will not wake up... Good insulating sleeping bags are the
solution, as is an observing pal checking if you are still OK from time to
time. Rain wear insulates against wind.
I hope this all doesn't sound too dreadfull. If you prepare well and know
the limits between responsible and crazy undertakings, there's no big
danger. But always prepare your night well in advance in wintertime, make
sure you have all necessary (and appropriate) clothing with you. Happy
observing!
-Marco
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