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Re: (meteorobs) Re Observations Sth Tau, Orionids...



> Correct me if I'm wrong, but this thread sounds like an excellent argument
> for encouraging binocular/telescopic observing during both Taurid maxima,
> guys! (Feel free to jump in here, Malcolm. :>)

I'm now at the Royal Observatory Edinburgh, and they alarm the place
after 2100, so I'll have to leave shortly.  There have been many
fascinating meteorobs posts I've read today and would like to respond
to them.  It's not often you see George and Jim agreeing! (-:

The Taurids have a low population index, so aren't great telescopically.
However, their distinctive slow motion offsets that.  A low-power
binocular, say 6-7x40ish would be best.  You'd be able to split the two
components easily if you observe fields around the radiants, say about
20-25 degrees distance.  I don't have my meteor papers with me yet in
Edinburgh, so I can't suggest chart numbers.

> experience) helps eliminate "shower prejudice" in plotting, because it's so
> much harder (for me) to intuit where in the heck a radiant is relative to
> my eyepiece field!

Try it with a telescope, star diagonal rotated at some arbitrary angle
to make it even harder.  With the small binocular you'll still get bias,
but I think it will be somewhat less.  Even if you don't estimate the
orientation any better than visually (we can argue that another time)
you still determine the relative position more reliably.

Must go.  Clear skies everyone.

Malcolm

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