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(meteorobs) 1999 Leonid storm; WOW!!!!
Hi!
I just returned from our Leonid campaign. We had to travel 600 km south
by car, into Spain, from our initial location in SW France, on the day of
November 17, because of the weather.
At the small village of Xalos, some 80 km south of Valencia, we observed
the most impressive meteor display I ever experienced, under a completely
clear sky. Near 2:00-2:30 UT (Nov. 18), Leonids appeared at an average
rate of some 30-40 per minute, equivalent (very roughly) to a ZHR near
4000. Due to the Poisson-distribution, we experienced small burst in
which sometimes 5-6 Leonids appeared at one instance, shooting away in
all directions. The sight was astonishing, and we actually had a hard
time keeping up with counting; this really was at the limit of our
grasping abilities. I suggest this certainly may be called a 'storm'.
It was amazing, meteors appeared everywhere in the sky, and each few
minutes I had to take a short break in counting to 'regain my breath' a
little bit. Marvelous!
One thing that struck, by the way, was the complete lack of bright
Leonids, especially given the high activity level. We did not see any
Leonids brighter than -3 to -4, and those only in minute quantities.
It reminds me of the alfa Monocerotids where a similar phenomenon was
apparent (see our paper in ApJ 479 (1997), 441-447).
We have operated a multi-station photographic and video network this
night, with a second station (stations equiped with automated camera
platforms with 25 photo-cameras at each site, as well as image-intensified
video at each site) some 80 km North of us. We expect to have obtained a
large number (>200?) of high accuracy orbits of Leonid meteoroids.
More results will follow later, after I have had time to carefully assemble
the data from my tapes.
At the end of the night, we all were exhausted, physically, and mentally.
I personally certainly did experience some effect on my consciousness and
functioning; during the peak, my recorder suddenly jammed, causing an
unrestrained reaction of panic with me. It took me several minutes just
to have my brain realize that it was just a matter of a full tape that
had to be replaced. Under these conditions, you just can't think straight
anymore, it seems.... These impressive phenomenon really get on you!
Just as a historic note, and to point out the uniqueness of what happened
this night of 17-18 November 1999; rates at at least a similar level or
better have only been observed with certainty 3 times earlier this
century (Draconids of 1933 and 1946, and Leonids of 1966).
The only thing that in my opinion can match this meteor storm in
impressiveness, is a solar eclipse. Forget about Hale-Bopp etc.; for me,
THIS was THE celestial event of the nineties!
Regards!
- Marco Langbroek
Dutch Meteor Society
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drs Marco Langbroek
University of Leiden
Faculty of Archaeology
P.O. Box 9515
2300 RA Leiden
The Netherlands
marcolan@stad.dsldot nl
meteorites@dmsweb.org
private: Jan Steenlaan 46, 2251 JH Voorschoten, Netherlands
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