[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) Re: Reported Fireball Magnitudes
I am somewhat skeptical about the number and magnitude of fireballs
being reported by some observers during the Perseid Shower. My own
observations don't support this, so I'm puzzled as to why I'm not recording
these very bright fireballs! I have looked at the MORP Camera Network
statistics published by Halliday et all in the Journal, "METEORITICS - Vol
31, No.2 March 1996). There are indeed greater numbers of -3 magnitude and
brighter meteors reported during the Perseid shower dates. These were
recorded by a 12 Station - 60 Camera system when it was in operation over an
eleven year period. For a single Station, the number of -3 magnitude or
brighter fireballs reported don't seem to support the numbers reported by
some observers. I do meteor spectroscopy from my observatory on mid
Vancouver Island and will record spectra of meteors brighter than -2
magnitude and my own data does not support this either. I would like to
see some of these observers set up an all-sky or fisheye camera during
their observing sessions to try and confirm their observations. In
Europe,observers might be able to check the data from the European Fireball
Camera Network. I would be very happy if the rates of very bright fireballs
where as high as reported. I have also looked back at some results reported
in Meteor News, by Millman and meteors brighter than -3 magnitude are quite
rare during past visual observations. Maybe I should move to your location
to improve my spectra numbers!
Ed
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Edward Majden epmajden@mars.ark.com
1491 Burgess Road Meteor Spectroscopy
Courtenay, B.C. http://www.serve.com/meteors/majden.html
CANADA V9N-5R8 Amateur Astronomy
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Follow-Ups: