[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
re: (meteorobs) Those pesky path lengths
I agree with Jim R that experience on path lengths becomes the best guide
for Perseids. Get out and watch, develop a feel for what path lengths are
looking like, and go from there. Individual perceptions of the lengths vary
as well, so that complicates the situation. I tend to be among the shortest
around, despite also seeing most of my meteors at or near central vision.
My data on fabricated radiants indicates a chance lineup of about 1/hr or a
bit less, for all speeds. So for fast meteors alone, the chance is probably
1 every other hour. Higher perceptions, of course, will have higher rates
on this.
Congratulations to Koen Miscotte on seeing 25000 meteors. That is good,
steady perseverance which takes on ever-increasing value as more data is
amassed. Not many observers stick around long enough to get anywhere near
this total. I began in 1960, and during the summer of 1974 I reached 25000.
So Koen is seeing them at a pace similar to me. I have wondered for a long
time when someone with high perception will catch up with me (it could be
done in less than a decade) but most often a big annual total or two is
followed by disappearance !
Norman
>
Norman W. McLeod III
Visual Program Coordinator
American Meteor Society
Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganet.com