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Re: (meteorobs) Wow


We had a fantastic view of the Leonids!  We were in
southeast NM, in a very dark area about 45 miles
north of Roswell.  We began watching around 8:00 UT.

We were soon counting ~10 per minute until 10:00 UT, when
the rate climbed quickly to 20 or more meteors/minute.

Funny you mentioned the coyotes, because right around
that time, the coyotes in our own area began to make
a lot of noise, and continued on and off for an hour or so.
It lent an eerie quality to the scene.

Unfortunately, clouds rolled in and covered about 75% of
the sky between 10:00 and 10:45 UT.  Nevertheless, we
continued to record rates of 20 per minute during that time,
so we suspect the actual rates may have been higher.
Meteors could be seen flashing behind the clouds, the
brighter ones illuminating them like lightning flashes.

After 10:45 UT, the skies cleared again, and the rates
remained high for some time.  As late as 12:10 UT, we
were still seeing meteors rates greater than 7 per minute.

-Eric Bucsela
Washington, DC
(observing from southeastern New Mexico)



Thomas Ashcraft wrote:
> 
> Nov 18, 2001
> 1120 UT
> 
> The Leonids are still consistently streaking as I post this note at 1120
> UT. I do not know if there was a peak minute between 0955 and 1009 UT...or
> if there was a peak *after* these predicted times.  I am sure there will be
> excellent data and measurement from numerous sources as skies were clear in
> many locations.
> 
> It may be difficult to determine an exact peak by forward scatter radio
> data as there have been multi-minute periods of station saturation. There
> must be a lot of residual ionosation in the upper atmospheres. It will take
> a while to process my own radio data, audio tapes and charts.
> 
> I don't know if the Leonid numbers around the 1000 UT hour will constitute
> a storm but it has certainly become a thrilling  meteor shower.
> 
> Curiously, up here in the Sangre de Christo mountains where I am, at 1001
> UT various coyote packs started howling in all directions, then owls
> started hooting and all sorts of animals were making vigorous noise lasting
> about five minutes. I never heard such a collective whooping like that
> before. I don't know if it was caused by the meteor activity...but to me it
> seems likely it was.
> 
> I look forward to reading other reports.
> 
> Clear skies to all for the next peak,
> 
> Tom Ashcraft
> Lamy , New Mexico, USA
> 35.29 N  105.53 W
> 
> 
> 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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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
To stop getting email from the 'meteorobs' list, use the Web form at:
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