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(meteorobs) Re: Mar 9/10 meteors+comet
Finally had an opportunity to go out with a clear sky. On the drive out I
saw an intense green -4 sporadic near Vega at 2:10 AM, lasting only 1
second going 3 degrees. A -2 green fragment fell away at the end. Unusual
to see the complete meteor while driving ; just looked out and got it
centrally. This was also a very short and brief fireball.
Meteor rates 226 - 326 EST (726-826 UT) 9 sporadics , next hour 7
sporadics, then quitting at 515 AM (1015 UT) only 3 more sporadics. Sky 7.0
and no shower members seen. I have done better than this in past years for
February and March. Alpha and Beta Centauri were 3 degrees up and
culminating as I arrived.
Hale-Bopp with 6.0 sky around it appears -0.5 with ion tail 15 degrees and
split dust tail 5 degrees. I agree with the diagram given by Michael
Boschat. There were some clouds interfering the last 15 minutes, the only
ones in the sky. I couldn't see as much ion tail in binoculars as I did
naked-eye ; too diffuse plus Milky Way interfering. The dust tail was
definitely hooking to the right out of the nucleus and spreading behind it,
the hooked portion visible naked-eye. Must get Joan out to see it later
this week.
Alan Hale did a fine job with Art Bell for 3 hours Sat morning (replayed Mon
morning). I am glad Art asked him if he has ever seen a UFO ; Alan answered
"no" calmly without any hesitation. Same way I would do it. The stupid
callers and comments came in during the hour after Alan left.
It's been nearly 50 years since I first looked at the cobalt-blue Miami sky
while sitting in a stroller, and even in my pre-astronomy days I never saw
anything looking like what is depicted as a UFO. The beautiful sky color
attracted me from the earliest days possible. Skywriting was popular in the
late 40's and it was fun to see letters in the sky as I was learning them.
Norman McLeod
Fort Myers, Florida