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(meteorobs) the view from here (eastern aegean coast)
just in from 90 minutes up on the roof. i'm trying to thaw out!
as always, the Leonids were probably the best show of the year but over
here, they fell far short of expectations and way below '98's display. if i
rated '98 as a B+ then this year the Leonids were a C-
(sorry, that's the teacher in me coming out)
conditions were good to excellent as far as clarity but at max. i only
observed less than 50/hour.
interestingly, i noticed that this year's shower seemed to come in
'clusters' or 'clumps'... there would be many minutes (five or more) with
nothing in my field of vision, then i'd see three to five within a few
seconds. nice trails but no obvious colors like in '98.
i will check the weather map to see if there were any thunder showers in the
region because at one point i observed what seemed to be 'distant
lightening' at the horizon. either it was a fireball or it was actually
lightening but the skies here are cloudless and unless Athens is having
thunder storms, that isn't what i saw!
is it possible to see the effects of a fireball from below the horizon??
another thing i noticed this year, with Leo almost directly overhead, the
best viewing was down low close to the horizon. no earthgrazers this time of
day but all in all i'm glad i didn't sleep through it.
that's my less than professional analysis of this year's Leonids! i may get
outside again Sunday, we'll see. right now i want to warm my chin, nose and
earlobes!
i'll be interested to hear what the rest of you saw. good luck and
good viewing and clear skies.
arlene in assos, turkey
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