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(meteorobs) The END of Visual Observing ?!?!?

>From: Mike Linnolt <mlinnolt@alum.mitdot edu>
>Reply-To: meteorobs@atmob.org
>this is  doubtless the beginning of the end for visual meteor >observing :(



  Mike,

  No No! Don't say that!... the end OF VISUAL meteor observing.  I'm an 
amateur observer (and professional statistical programmer) who is interested 
in data collection and analyses of all types.  Been a visual obeserver since 
the 70s and Meteorobs member since 1996. If the folks doing the high level 
meteor analyses do not need or request my formal standardized observations 
because MetRec or whatever application is more reliable.. so be it.. meteor 
science progresses.. thats fine
  Does that mean I will END visually observing meteors.  Absolutely not!  
Some folks go to church on Sundays. I observe meteors instead.  That keeps 
me 'in touch'. And if my data can be used, formally, cool.. thats just a 
plus.

  just my 2cents.

  Joseph
  SAn Diego, CA











>From: Mike Linnolt <mlinnolt@alum.mitdot edu>
>Reply-To: meteorobs@atmob.org
>To: meteorobs@atmob.org
>Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Re: LINEARID meteor shower in July?
>Date: Wed, 18 Jul 2001 07:35:31 -1000
>
>Wow, this system is amazing. Runs all night long and effortlessly
>records every meteor for a perfectly accurate statistic and shower
>association!
>
>But, just like LINEAR put comet hunters out of business, this is
>doubtless the beginning of the end for visual meteor observing :(
>
>Mike
>
>On 18 Jul 2001, at 6:58, Rob McNaught wrote:
>
> > The predicted peak for meteors from C/2001 A2 (LINEAR) should have
> > occurred around July 17.7 UT; a few hours ago.  The radiant set from
> > here in the early evening, before I got my video set up, but it rose
> > above the horizon again for the last 70 minutes of observation before
> > morning twilight.
> >
> > There was considerable interference by cloud in the latter half of the
> > night, but the following numbers were recorded by MetRec
> >
> >      UT       SPO CAP SIA PAU SDA NDA PHE LIN
> > 09:55->14:00  52  18  13   3   4   2   0   0
> > 14:08->19:55  38   8   9   7   5   5   4   1
> >
> > Totals        90  26  22  10   9   7   4   1
> >
> > Clearly there was no major outburst, and the single LINEARid recorded
> > could just be a chance alignment.  It occurred at 19:19:39 UT and was
> > 32 consecutive frames (1.3 seconds), bright (around mag 0) and a 
>dustball,
> > as one might expect from fresh cometary ejecta.  It was already a
> > streak of disintegrating dust on entering the field and continued to
> > fade and dissipate as it crossed the field.  The radiant used was
> > RA 108, Dec -23 (2000), Vinf 31 and this meteor passed 1.3 deg from
> > this velocity corrected position with observed angular vel of 10.0 
>deg/sec
> > compared to the predicted 12.4.  A dustball would clearly have 
>decelerated.
> > Probably less than 1 meteor in 100 has such an appearance in my video
> > recordings.
> >
> > I have a major problem believing this meteor was connected with the
> > current apparition of C/2001 A2.  A back of the envelope calculation
> > suggests unrealistically large ejection velocities would be required
> > of the order of 1 km/sec and at great distances from the Sun (a year or
> > so from perihelion).  However as this comet appears to have made a
> > previous passage thru the inner Solar System, it _could_ be ejecta
> > from that passage.  Such a dust trail would be extremely stretched to
> > the extent that it may barely be detectable.  Tiny ejection velocities
> > result in large differences in orbital period for near parabolic orbits.
> > An equivalent segment of a one revolution old dust trail in the Leonids
> > might occupy several months, but be several thousand years long for a
> > near parabolic comet.
> >
> > Perhaps observers in New Zealand or elsewhere in Australia may mave seen
> > some activity.
> >
> > Cheers, Rob
> >
> > Robert H. McNaught
> > rmn@aaocbn.aaodot gov.au
> >
> >
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>
>
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