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Re: (meteorobs) CNN footage of *fireball?*



Lew Gramer wrote:
> 
> >There was a mysterious morning object a few days before the Leonid max,
> 
> Bob, what exactly was "mysterious" about the fireball whose train you (I
> assume?) photographed from the Borrego desert

The media described it as such (seen in Los Angeles area).  I don't know
WHAT it is.  It doesn't look manmade (although I have seen some
interesting jet contrails at sunrise.  I only present it as an
"observation", for scrutiny by list members.  Especially, with all these
bolides being observed.  (I also mentioned a guy in England, who
confirmed the above video frame was similar to what he saw)


Also, I noted some of your
> "near-radiant" meteors - were those EXTREME blowups of the originals? If
> not, those meteors seemed mighty long to be near-radiant shower members.

Yes.  I call "near-radiant", anything caught by my 35mm & 50mm (27 deg x
40 deg) with Leo in the middle of frame.  (Since, when radiant is high
in sky, you get meteors ALL OVER the sky.)  It is a matter of what one
calls "near".  I admit my definition is pretty loose.

 You are talking about the 50mm lens shot:

http://www.comet-track.com/meteor/leonids99/1718/C50mmFD/C50mmFD.html

The meteor is a good 20 deg away from radiant.  Yes, both closeups are
"blowups" of the 50mm lens frame.  It's interesting to note the circular
white "blob" at the meteor's apex.  If it were more "vigorous", it would
have  left a snake-like "smoky" train at the apex.

 Here is what you think of as a near-radiant meteor:

http://www.comet-track.com/meteor/leonids98/6x7/165mm_Leo.jpg
http://www.comet-track.com/meteor/leonids98/debris/debris_165mm.jpg

I still remembering seeing it visually last year, & it had a really
"eerie" impression.  Because of foreshortening, it traced SLOWLY & with
a yellowish type of hue.  I saw a near-radiant Perseid in Bagdere,
Turkey (last Aug. 11, before Eclipse Day).  Same kind of effect.

> 
> Thanks for sharing your excellent Website with us, BTW! You continue to
> capture some of the most aesthetic meteor photographs for major showers.

90% perspiration, 10% inspiration.

I "accidented" into meteor photography, thru last year's Leonids (due to
all the media hype).  All of a sudden, I am kinda "hooked".  For Leonids
'99, I spend $300 on film & developing for 2 nights of meteor patrol
photography.  Unfortunately, I didn't get the photo results I was
looking for.  But, I did what I had to do.  Go & monitor the shower from
my location.


> 
> Clear skies,
> Lew Gramer
> 
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