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(meteorobs) Nubulous, wiggly and dark meteors

The controversy about the status of dark meteors and if they are 
real has a long history. Just as today there were disputes in astronomy 
back in the 1800s about dark meteors and if they were real or some type 
of eye artifact or a fast dark object close to the observer that 
appeared as a dark meteor. I believe all three happen. I've seen a sure 
dark meteor turn into a bat and eye artifacts (dark spots or lines) are 
always a consideration, but magnification that gives structure resolves 
many questions. I will say that without magnification, I question myself 
on "dark meteor" sightings and realize that it may have been an insect, 
bird(s), or eye artifact.

       One of the problems with trying to observe a dark meteor under 
magnification is the nature of random chance too see one, which can 
require many hours of looking at the sky with binoculars for each 
sighting.  I try to move at ultra slow pan so that any object appearing 
within the field of view of my binoculars will be observable, too fast 
and the eyes can't focus on what is seen, including a dark meteor and 
they must be distinctly seen to rate as an observation. I looked at the 
area of the sky from the zenith to about 45 degrees but mostly within 20 
degrees of the zenith. It takes dedicated concentration.

       For some reason skies that have light pollution seem to give 
better results than really dark skies that are the normal haunts of the 
more experianced meteor observers on this list. I just observe in my 
yard and suffer 4.5 to 5.5 LM most of the time, but it's good for dark 
meteors. However, this gives credibility to the claim that dark meteors 
are just quick objects close at hand that are back lite by the lighter 
skies, but I say that lighter skies gives the needed contrast enabling 
the dark lines of the dark meteors to be seen, along with bats, birds 
and insects too, that's why magnification of dark meteors are so 
important. 

        More next time.                Dave English

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