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Re: (meteorobs) Giacobinids from Cumbria, UK



Stuart and UK observers,

While I was having my dinner, there was a short item on "Newsnight" (a
BBC current affairs programme for those outside the UK) about the
Draconids.  The person interviewed was from Jodrell Bank.  Sorry I
didn't catch the name.  He was talking about rates being low earlier
but improving to about one every two minutes I think he said.  Did I
hear correctly?  So I rushed out.  Still no Draconid shower.  I don't
know if this was the number being detected by radio or radar, but the
Jodrell Bank man compared this rate with the one per second were hoping
for implying 30 m/h visual rate.

Stuart> After three days of being interviewed about this by local radio and
Stuart> newspapers, this is incredibly, incredibly disappointing... :-(((

Don't despair.  Forging contacts with the local press is very handy,
for example if a bright fireball is seen and you want to interview
witnesses to track its path.  It's beeter they ask you than some
professional `astronomer' who doesn't know much about meteors.  It's
also good for scientists to explain what they're doing to the public
in layman's terms without using jargon.  The worst question in the
various radio interviews I had today was "What's the significance of
the shower?", as much as anything because I wasn't prepared for it,
though I should have been.  It's one of the popular questions.  It's a
variant of the "Why fund pure science?" or "What are the benefits of
your work to the public?".  I gave a poor answer.  Of course, a few
minutes after the interview I had a couple of good ripostes.  C'est la
vie.

Malcolm

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