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(meteorobs) 16/17 Nov obs from Sicliy: mostly clouds/few Leonids
Greetings all!
I wrestled with mostly overcast skies virtually all night here on Sicily.
It was cloudless and beautiful up until 2300 local time then the troubles
began! Loads of altocumulus and cirrus clouds drifted through the rest of the
night, finally socking me in about 0330 local time. I managed two basically
half-hour counts in between overcast periods. The periods were:
2315 - 0000 UT (Teff: 45 mins) Location: Plain of Catania, Sicily Facing: west
CFOV: Aldebaran
z.s. 6.0/6.5 (variable) 20% interference clouds/haze
2 Leonids 2 N. T. 6 sporadics 10 total
0200 - 0230 UT (Teff 30 mins) Location: Plain of Catania, Sicily Facing:
west: CFOV: (variable)
z.s. 6.5 (variable) 15% interference clouds/haze
7 Leonids 2 N. T. 7 sporadics 16 total
The Leonids: The two seen during the first period were Earth grazers each
covering over 30 degrees of sky with trains. The first one was +2, the second
+3. One N. T. was -1 in magnitude, the brightest meteor I've seen since last
year's Leonid max!! The second period included one Leonid of zero magnitude as
the brightest. The others were: one +1, one +2, two +3, and two +4. Three of
these 7 Leonids left trains.
It was my impression that had I had a clear uninterrupted hour, my count for the
second period would have been around 15 to 20 on leonids. The counts were
clearly rising, however, slowly. No sign of Leonid fireballs and no sign of the
"background component" that was so strong last year. I think I may have been
observing BEFORE this component would have kicked in, however, judging on last
year's approx 16 hour duration. Forecast for tonight here is more of the touch
and go stuff. Man, it will drive you crazy!!
Good luck to all, Paul Jones
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