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(meteorobs) Catching the Leonids: An Impromptu Collection of Re sources
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Rob McCausland
> Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2001 3:14 PM
> To: 'alliance-announce@lists.alliancecm.org';
> 'access-forum@lists.alliancecm.org'; 'meteorobs@atmob.org'
>
>
> Catching the Leonids: An Impromptu Collection of Resources
>
>
> I. PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEO
>
> "NASA invites you to share your photos or images of Leonid meteors with
> others. Please upload your photos."
> http://leonids.hq.nasadot gov/leonids/
>
> This site links to tips pages for photographing -- and videotaping -- the
> Leonids (in brief, ASA of 400-800, aperture wide open, exposures ranging
> from 15-30 seconds up to 3-4 minutes, and suggested framing with rocks,
> trees, or other objects, possibly even a reflective body of water in the
> foreground). Key to success, it stresses, will be practicing with
> exposures beforehand: "Experimenting with the length of time and exposure
> is well worth the effort! ... Knowing how your camera records light
> before the main event is essential!"
> http://leonids.hq.nasadot gov/leonids/photo.html
> http://leonids.hq.nasadot gov/leonids/pccamera.html
>
>
> More extensive and technically-detailed information is posted by the
> International Meteor Organization:
> Photographic Observer's Page: http://www.imodot net/photo/index.html
> Video Observation of Meteors: http://www.imodot net/video/index.html
>
>
> II. WHERE AND WHEN
>
> A good succinct article, "Jaw-Dropping Leonids," is posted by Science@NASA
> at:
> http://science.nasadot gov/headlines/y2001/ast08nov_1.htm
>
>
> Spaceweather.com includes a map of the constellations showing that the
> meteors will be emanating from the constellation Leo seen, in the
> mid-Northern latitudes, just east of due south.
> http://www.spaceweather.com/meteors/leonids/observingtips.html
>
>
> NASA MAC has a nifty Java applet allowing you to calculate time and
> intensity for your location and sky-light conditions
> (downtown/suburbs/countryside/mountaintop). For example, the Boston-area
> will peak between 4-6 am, with 688 meteors per hour seen downtown, 2409 in
> the suburbs, 3922 in the countryside, and 5184 on a mountain top. For San
> Francisco, those times are from 1am-4am, with peak meteors per hour at
> from 386 through 1351, 2200, and 2908.
> http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov/estimator.html
>
>
> The extensive and accessible site of The Armagh Observatory includes a
> plot of the various comet trails the earth will be passing by and through,
> and three maps of the globe showing the location of the night skies, from
> the meteor's perspective, during the three periods of most intense
> activity. These will be North America for the first trail encounter, and
> 8 and 10 hours later in East Asia for the second and third trail
> encounters. Predicted rates range from 1000-4000 per hour for the North
> American event, and 8000-15000 per hour for East Asian events.
> http://www.arm.acdot uk/leonid/info2001.html
>
>
> A good (and colorful) summary of some of this data (followed by a whole
> lot more technical material) is at:
> http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov/1998.html
>
>
> There is also a set of tables (PDF) showing numbers of meteors predicted
> for every 15-minute period for 60 cities (30 US, 30 non-US) to be found at
> NASA's Space Environments & Effects Program page. This page also links to
> 5 sites that will be collecting "real-time" data.
> http://see.msfc.nasadot gov/see/Leonid_Forecast_2001x.html
>
>
> III. ARE THESE PREDICTIONS ACCURATE? HOW DO THEY KNOW?
>
> A major part of the story is the progressive science of predicting the
> exact time, duration, and intensity of the meteor shower/storm. There is
> an excellent, easy-to-understand seven page article detailing the major
> research teams' predictions, and their advancing models, especially from
> 1998 forward, written by Gary Kronk. Among other things, we learn here
> that another peak storm is predicted for 2002 (although with a full moon),
> and two smaller peaks predicted in 2006/2007, then none to speak of until
> 2066.
> http://comets.amsmeteors.org/meteors/showers/leonidprediction.html
>
>
> Another good overall background of this recent history, along with more
> useful information, is in the North American Meteor Networks November
> newsletter:
> http://www.namnmeteors.org/namnnotes0111.html
>
>
> IV. PARTICIPATIVE OBSERVATIONS
>
> 1. In the NAMN's newsletter listed above, readers are invited to share
> their meteor reports with the NAMN Coordinator at: sc.meteors@home.com.
> NAMN also has one of the most extensive guides on line to understanding
> and observing meteor events (includes a glossary):
> http://www.namnmeteors.org/guide.html
>
> 2. NAMN also links to an AOL Hometown page, which provides not only a
> good, succinct description of the event, but also an invitation to submit
> reports to: theleonids@aol.com:
> http://www.hometown.aol.com/theleonids/index.html
>
> 3. The American Meteor Society has good information and links on
> observing the meteor shower, some sidebar articles on meteor speed and
> so-called "earth-grazers", an extended set of pages on "fireballs", and
> extensive information for participating in their Visual Observing Program.
> This includes data forms and instructions for filling them out:
> http://www.amsmeteors.org/visual.html
>
>
> V. ANNOTATED LINKS
>
> The American Meteor Society also maintains an excellent set of annotated
> links :
> http://www.amsmeteors.org/links.html
>
> This includes a reference to an e-mail list-serve, located at:
> http://www.meteorobs.org/
>
>
>
> This collection of resources was gathered by Rob McCausland
> (www.world.std.com/~rghm), Nov. 14-15, 2001. It was assembled primarily
> for use by PEG Access Television Producers And Managers, and distributed
> to the list-serves of the Alliance for Community Media
> (www.alliancecm.org). Posted to meteorobs (my maiden post) for proofing
> and corrections.
The archive and Web site for our list is at http://www.meteorobs.org
If you are interested in complete links on the upcoming LEONIDS, see:
http://www.meteorobs.org/storms.html
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