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(meteorobs) Leonids: max ZHR in 1966
LEONIDS: Maximum rates in 1966
It has been suggested by Jenniskens that the change in observing
technique by Milon at Kitt Peak produced an unrealistically high
maximum ZHR of about 150,000. He suggests the rate may have been
closer to 15,000.
As there are photographs that show one meteor per second of exposure,
it is interesting to see what sort of rates these suggest. If one is
optimistic and makes the limiting magnitude for the photographed
meteors as mag +1.0, and use the magnitude population index of 2.9
(quoted by Jenniskens for the 1966 storm), the ZHR comes out at
around 1,500,000! This is also within the restricted field of the
camera lens. It would seem that too many unrealistic assumptions
would have to be made to get a visual ZHR as low as 15,000. (Such
assumptions could be a lim mag of the photos of +2 or a magnitude
population index of 2.0, but the ZHR would still come out at around
100,000 for the camera field). Until the techniques used by Milon
can be adequately calibrated, I would tend to accept the max ZHR of
about 150,000.
Robert H McNaught
rmn@aaocbn.aaodot gov.au
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