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(meteorobs) Leonids and North Taurids from Central Virginia

Meteor Observers across Eastern North America (where it was clear) were
definitely treated to a fine display of meteors, in less than ideal
conditions!  Observing from my good size back yard on the outskirts of
Madison Heights, Virginia (about 14 miles NE of Lynchburg), I enjoyed the
Divine display of natural fireworks, while staying toasty warm under an
electric blanket in the bed of my wife's truck!  My hourly results are as
follows:

0505-0510 UT	0   Leo	2 NT		1 Spor		clear		LM 6.2
0530-0630		30 Leo	4 NT		2 Spor		.7 Teff		LM 6.1
0630-0730		68 Leo	5 NT		3 Spor		.5 Teff		LM 5.8
0730-0830		34 Leo					.2 Teff		LM 5.2
0830-0930		51 Leo			5 Spor		.5 Teff		LM 5.5

This evening began (0505 UT) in great form as I spotted a long sporadic
-4 that traveled almost 100 degrees.  It had beautiful exotic colors
(orange, blue and purple) and moved much too slowly to be a Leonid Earth
grazer.  I did periodically check for early long Leonids between 0340 and
0500, but saw none.

Observing on this special meteor-filled night reminded me much of my
first Geminid maximum that I observed in December 1976 with Norman W.
McLeod III, down in the Florida Keys.  I guess under better conditions (
upper levels clouds obscured my sky and view greatly between 0710 and
0815 UT this morning), this Leonid meteor session would have "blown away"
that particularly memorable Geminid display.  It will be interesting to
see how the ZHR calculations work out, once all the data has been reduced
and analyzed.  There is certainly much to look forward to in 2001 and
2002, thanks to the work of Rob McNaught and David Asher and their rather
trusty calculations!!!		In Astronomical Affinity - Felix A. Martinez

On Fri, 17 Nov 2000 22:07:02 -0500 (EST) nmcleod@peganet.com writes:
> Observing at lat 26.5N, long 81.5W.  UT times are now correct.
> EST + 5h = UT.
> 
> Full-hour rates first :
> 
> 126 - 226 EST   (626 - 726 UT)  7 LEO    1 STA   2 SPOR   9 TOT  
> LM6.0
> 
> 226 -326 EST    (726 - 826 UT)   32 LEO    1 NTA   3 SPOR   36 TOT   
> LM6.0
> 
> 326 - 426 EST    (826 - 926 UT)   12 LEO    1 SPOR   13 TOT   LM5.5
> 
> 
> Short-interval UT rates :
> LM6.0 begins
> 
> 626 - 646   none
> 
> 646 - 706    3 LEO   1 SPOR
> 
> 706 - 726    4 LEO    1 STA    1 SPOR
> 
> 726 - 731   2 LEO
> 
> 731 - 736   none
> 
> 736 - 741    4 LEO
> 
> 741 - 746    3 LEO
> 
> 746 - 751    4 LEO   1 SPOR
> 
> 751 - 756    5 LEO
> 
> 756 - 801    1 LEO   1 NTA  1 SPOR
> 
> 801 - 806    6 LEO   1 SPOR
> 
> 806 - 811   2 LEO
> 
> 811 - 816   none
> 
> 816 - 821   3 LEO
> 
> 821 - 826   2 LEO
> 
> LM6.0 ends, LM5.5 begins
> 
> 826 - 831   1 LEO
> 
> 831 - 851   none
> 
> 851 - 856    3 LEO
> 
> 856 - 901   none
> 
> 901 - 906    5 LEO
> 
> 906 - 911   1 LEO
> 
> 911 - 916   0 LEO   1 SPOR
> 
> 916 - 921   1 LEO
> 
> 921 - 926   none
> 
> 926 - 933   1 LEO   1 SPOR
> 
> Leonid magnitudes in LM6.0 sky,
> range  -2m to +5m : 1,6,8,2,5,4,8,5 ; total 39.
> 
> Leonid magnitudes in LM5.5 sky,
> range  -1m to +5m : 3,1,3,2,2,1,1 ; total 13.
> 
> Norman
>  
> Norman W. McLeod III
> Staff Advisor
> American Meteor Society
> 
> Fort Myers, Florida
> nmcleod@peganet.com
> 
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