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(meteorobs) Re: NM-97Nov15/16 Leonids few
1997 Nov 15/16 turned up clear over SW Florida unexpectedly well in advance
of a strong front. I lucked into a nice casual green-yellow -1m Leonid
with 1-second train after 3 AM while checking the sky. Then I watched for
67 minutes (432 - 539 AM EST) with sky LM4.5 and saw just 3 Leonids and
nothing else. The last was an intense blue +1m with no train, curiously.
So, a day in advance of the max, not much was going on. We had a mild front
come by two days ago and cooled the nights into the low 60's F, but tonight
is expected to be much colder -- looking at temps in the low 40's inland
where I will be observing.
One thought on using a building to shade the moon. I would rather have an
open view of the sky to see all Leonid fireballs that appear. The moon
won't stop many -6m's and brighter. I will face NW until the moon moves
overhead, then turn E.
Another note from the previous Leonid epoch. In 1965 the best rates came
over the Far East longitudes, but the next year they moved to western North
America. Something shifted in 1966. Why wasn't the 1966 peak seen over Europe?
Norman