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Re: (meteorobs) Leonids
Robert Gardner wrote:
> I noticed my calendar has the Leonids on the night of 16/17 Nov. at
> midnight. That was based on the IMO calendar for 2000 which has the
> lambda at 235.27 degrees which according to my table is 8 UTC on the 17
> th. Interestingly the IMO 2001 calendar has the same date and lambda.
> I hope I am not doing something wrong.
The shower list of the IMO Calendar is meant as a sort of invariable
list of visually suitable, annual showers. The nodal passage is likely
to be the maximum time for any annual activity of the Leonids.
The timing of models are described in the actual LEONID SECTION of
the Calendar. Remember that the Calendar was made in the spring
of 1999, whence can't include the most recent predictions.
Unluckily, for the 2000 Leonids we face such similar times on both
November 17 and 18, and people might get confused, even think
a typo is involved. Nevertheless, for detailed information I
suggest to have a look at the actual shower sections in the
Calendar -- this holds in particular for the 2001 Calendar.
> However no one will avoid the moon since it appears to rise very near
> the radiant. Correct me where I am wrong.
I would also suggest observing fields about 90 deg distance from
the radiant. Shower association is not terribly reliable then -- and
it might be important in case no storm materializes --, but at least
Leonids appear more or less parallel at that distance. Perhaps some
markers will help: the line gamma And--alpha Per points roughly
to the Leonid radiant. Also the connection Lacerta--Polaris is
an indicator for Leonid membership. If you keep these two
markers in mind and observe say in Pegasus (interpolating between
the two lines metioned) you may be able to discriminate between
Leonids and others fairly well, without always tracing the meteor
back ending up at looking at the bright Moon!
Best wishes, Rainer
--
Rainer Arlt -- Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam -- www.aipdot de
Visual Commission - International Meteor Organization -- www.imodot net
rarlt@aipdot de -- phone: +49-331-7499-533 -- fax: +49-331-7499-526
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