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Re: (meteorobs) Moonlight observing (Leonids)
At 05:31 PM 11/4/97 +0100, Sirko wrote:
>Let me support this statement with another example from Orionids '97...
Excellent story, Sirko. Brings to mind the observing session I did during
the last total lunar eclipse over New England in '96 (Teff just over 1
hour!) Even from a relatively dark site, the sky was overcast prior to
totality, with a LM certainly no better than 3.5 - this from a site where I
routinely reach LM 6.0 or better on moonless nights! But "magically",
within seconds of totality, the sky appeared to completely clear, and I
recorded average LMs for the hour very close to my usual 6.0... Then
immediately after totality, those high clouds suddenly "reappeared" and
obliterated the dark sky again.
This effect of cloud-reflected moonlight was so pronounced that it actually
moved me - I ended up recording this as the most emotional eclipse I had
ever witnessed (and one of the most unusual meteor sessions). It helped me
understand a little what it must be like to experience a total solar
eclipse...
By the way, I definitely plan on observing after midnight every clear night
between next weekend and the following weekend... This in spite of the very
bright moon which will be in the sky. For those who may not be aware of it
EVEN NOW on this list, the Leonids this year are really TOO IMPORTANT to
miss! They may produce a storm over the next few years - or they may not
even produce an interesting maximum. But either way, this most studied of
all meteor showers deserves every bit of attention we amateurs can give it
now...
Clear skies in moonlight!
Lew