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(meteorobs) Leonid shower from West Texas, USA
From 0700 - 1210 UT, I observed 667 Leonid meteors from a site between
Junction and Sonora, Texas (completely unobscured horizon, LM=6.2, no
clouds - YEAH!). Long, horizon-hugging meteors showed up as soon as the
Sickle cleared the horizon. And things just got better from there. I had
several 30 second spans with 9 or 10 meteors, and 2 extraordinary
intervals: 5 meteors in 4 seconds, followed a minute later with 4 in 5
seconds (and 3 meteors in that intervening minute). 75% of the meteors
left trains, and there was a definite lack of fainter meteors. Several
fireballs lit up quarters of the sky, and I was able to sketch the trains
of 2 of these (in the Big Dipper and the foot of Orion).
Certainly the most fantastic show I've ever seen, and worth every minute
of the drive and lost sleep. Justice for the Eta Aquarids and
Orionids being clouded out this year. I just wish this site was closer
to me (or, better yet, vice versa) - I saw Achernar for quite a while (it
has Dec=-58 degs), and have seen Gamma Crux culminate here in the spring.
Before Leo rose, I also viewed the following comets:
21P/Giacobini-Zinner, C/1997 J2 Meunier-Dupouy, C/1998 M5 LINEAR, and
C/1998 U5 LINEAR. Quite a pleasure to have seen these after following
55P/Tempel-Tuttle for some weeks this past January and February.
Well, time to check the weather for tomorrow morning!
Michael Doyle
Round Rock, TX
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