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Re: Meteors 101 (was: (meteorobs) reply 01JUL to Meteor Observations...)



Thanks for the course.  Lots of helpful information that all of us
newcomers need to know.  Now if we can just keep the skies clear for a day
or two.

Jerre

At 05:15 PM 7/4/98 EDT, you wrote:
>In a message dated 98-07-04 12:58:46 EDT, you write:
>
><< << Dayle, It is hard to see a shower.  I have been looking for quite a
>while.
> I saw one meteor yesterday and my husband I thought we saw something early
> this morning. >>
> 
> 
> It's not exactly heard to see meteors from a particular shower. I all
depends
> on when and where you look. For example the people who have joined the list
> recently are at a little disadvantage because spring and early summer is the
> typically slow season (except for the Lyrids - and I'm starting to wonder
> about them).  The're showers ocurring all the time. Many tho have a very low
> ZHR. 
> You also need to find a relatively dark spot to watch from. If you want to
> contribute to the database you'll need a limiting magnitude of at least +5.
> That means you'll see a minimum from downtown Chicago, or NYC in my case or
> any other city or large town . So take a ride to the suburbs or country. I
> have to travel more than 100 miles round trip to do my observing. Those are
> the breaks. 
> The best time to start looking is after midnight locally. If you look right
> after dark you may see a few but not nearly as many as if you started
looking
> at midnight. 
> You also need to know where to look. Go to the IMO or NAMN websites and find
> out where the radiants of the showers are. Then gaze in that direction. For
> myself I usually set up facing east, tho for some showers I face other
>compass
> points. 
> The biggest piece of equipment you need to have with you is patience. No one
> is going to see 100 or 50 or even 5 per hour every day. You may sit for and
> hour (or even 2) without seeing even one. Then all of a sudden there may
be 5
> in 5 seconds. There was one night a year or so ago when the NJ group was
> watching the Leonids (I believe) I watched from midnight thru 3:30 or 4
AM. I
> saw quite a few, then packed up and left and guess what happened? Yep, the
> rates dramatically increase until dawn. You just never know. 
> So in conclusion read through some of the material available. Ask for a copy
> of the NAMN guide, George Zay also wrote a guide for Observers. The IMO
has a
> nice guide on meteors. Membership with the IMO also gets you a terrific
> newsletter. ALPO has a meteor section worth investigating. The best part?
All
> of those people are right here !!!  Try it again with a little background
and
> you'll see how easy it actually is.
> 
> Kevin
> NJ Meteor Onserving Group  (NJMOG)
>  >>
>
>


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