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Re: (meteorobs) Long term planning for Leonids 2001
> I've been contemplating where might be the best location to view the
> Leonids from in 2001
Leo (most appropriate name),
The best places to locate in are the places most people went to in 1998,
far East Asia, so there is plenty of experience around of the observing
circumstances and logistical difficulties. Part of the reasoning for
going to a cold northern location no longer applies in 2001, we can
be sure of the time of maximum, so can be sure of being in the appropriate
longitudes.
Check out the visibility maps for the various dust trail encounters at
http://www.atnf.csiro.au/asa_www/info_sheets/leonids.html
You will find three visibility maps for 2001. The first represents an old
dust trail that could produce a strong outburst over N. America. However
the two later encounters, only 48 minutes apart, should give pronounced
storm activity.
If you want to see the highest activity, then go to Guam or Japan, but
these might be risky for the weather. These locations have the radiant at
its highest, thus the highest observable rates. If however, you locate in
central Asia, then the view is likely to be no better than from northern
central Australia. There you will exchange the extreme cold for
mosquitoes! Actually, the mosquitoes aren't that bad, but the weather
conditions really require you be mobile to travel to the clearest
location. There are excellent highways in the Northern Territory that
would make it perfectly reasonable to travel over 1000 km with ease should
the weather require it.
The weather situation in Australia at that time of year, is dependent on
the start of the northern wet season. That is normally in early December,
but during November, the build up of thunderstorms moves further south and
the cirrus anvils that detach can be a major nuisance. That was our
experience in 1998, when I didn't have the option of relocating, but for
the appropriate hours, much of the sky was only very thinly covered.
Should the weather be appropriate in Guam or Japan, they will experience
rates double those in northern Australia (more specifically north central
and north western Australia) and for anyone with storm fever, that's where
you will get the necessary fix. Immediately after the 1999 storm, I had a
lust for high rates, and am considering the options of locations with
higher rates that Australia.
Cheers, Rob
Robert H. McNaught
(rmn@aaocbn.aaodot gov.au)
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