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(meteorobs) Leonids 2000: visibility from your location
Information on the observing conditions for this year's Leonids are
given at
http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov/estimator.html
This program allows you to calculate the expected apparent Leonid shower
rate for any given location and a range of observing conditions
(city, suburb, country side, mountain top).
The program includes my estimates for peak rates of ZHR = 210 for
passing the 1932 trailet and ZHR = 70 for passing the 1866 trailet
the next night. Those estimates compare to ZHR = 215 and ZHR = 700
respectively by Esko Lyytinen and ZHR about 100 by Robert McNaught
and David Asher.
The peak times are based on McNaught and Asher and Lyytinen's
calculations. The width of the shower was calculated based on our
find that the dust trail cross sections tend to be Lorentzian in shape,
assuming that they are Lorentzian as well perpendicular to the dust
trail. We'll soon find out.
I've also included a Leonid Filament component, based on high rates
in 1967.
Remember: the Nov. 16/17 encounter with the 1932 dust trail is unique
and the encounter with the 1866 dust trail the next night is a preview
of what to expect in years to come. Don't be discouraged by the bad Moon.
Shielding it behind a pole or some other thin and high object will go
a long way giving you a nice view on the sky.
Peter Jenniskens
SETI Institute
NASA Ames Research Center
http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov
..........................................................................
Peter Jenniskens
The SETI Institute e-mail: peter@max.arc.nasadot gov
NASA Ames Research Center tel: (650) 604-3086
Mail Stop 239-4 fax: (650) 604-1088
Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000
http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov
http://www-space.arc.nasadot gov/~leonid/CV/pjenniskens.html
Please send attachments to: pjenniskens@mail.arc.nasadot gov
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