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Re: (meteorobs) Draconids 1998 Europe



After I left the Observatory and got my stuff together from the flat
some cloud was heading in from the north west, so I drove into the
Scottish borders in a SE direction.  I was able to find a quiet spot
off a lightly used country road. Although I had my telescope with me,
I decided to do a visual reconnoitre before attempting to start any
telescopic observing.  Well no big surprise when the Draconids failed
to turn up for the party.  So I did a two-hour visual watch before
cloud, moonlight, and hunger sent me home.  A summary of my results
are below.  It was fun to do a visual watch again after so many years
telescopic observing.  I wish there had been something like IMO and
the international contacts we have now in the 1970s.  It makes it so
much more pleasurable and exciting to share the experience with people
around the world, even on disappointing nights like this.  Even an
auraora-like cloud formation between the Plough and a row of trees on
the northern horizon was quite alluring; it reminded me of some of
Shigemi Numazawa's paintings.  Nice Leonid picture of his in "Sky &
Telescope" I thought.  I must see if it's available as a print.

Malcolm Currie (CURMA) 1998 Oct 8/9.  Moon interfered after 1935.
           Teff
1848-1951  1.01  lm=6.49  3 GIA 1 TAU 1 DAU 9 Spo  (10% cloud)
1951-2052  0.95  lm=6.11  1 GIA 1 TAU       6 Spo

Lots of slow meteors about even amongst the sporadics, I guess one
should expect that as the Earth is catching up the meteors.  In the
last decade or so, I've done most of my observing after 2300 local
time, and of course most visual meteors seem slow compared with
telescopic ones.

Most memorable meteor was a 0 GIA, with discernable width and ragged
edges.  It was as if there were several meteors travelling in very
close formation.

Malcolm
tele@imodot net

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