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(meteorobs) To Dale or Tod (sorry about repeat messages folks)



To Dale or Tod,
                           If either of you would be interested in observing
the Geminids let me know.  There is a spot about in the middle of Alligator
Alley that I will be observing from cloud coverage permitting.

                                                Long trains,
                                                        Jeff Wilson

----- Original Message -----
From: "Dale" <biscayne@shadowdot net>
To: <meteorobs@atmob.org>
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 3:56 PM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Jeff and Geoff


How terrific for you, Tod, and how beautifully put.
Thanks for sharing with the list.  Jinny and I really enjoyed your report.
Dale Botwin  Miami FL


----- Original Message -----
From: "Tod Landess" <tlandess@miamidot edu>
To: "Lew Gramer" <dedalus@latrade.com>
Cc: <biscayne@shadowdot net>
Sent: Thursday, November 29, 2001 3:29 PM
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Jeff and Geoff


> Hi Lew,
>
> Interesting you should ask about Long Key. I have actually never camped or
> observed from there, I'm new to meteor observation and I'm an infrequent
> casual observer.
>
> I joined the list in July.  You
> may recall, I am the one who saw a bright meteor 'fireball' on the
sailboat
> going to Bimini on July 6.
>
> Well, I've been quietly reading  the information on the list.  In August I
> had noticed that you were reporting on Perseids from Long Key.  I had
> actually wanted to get down there myself and observe and perhaps even meet
> you but was unable to.
>
> However, Long Key seemed like a good place to view the Leonids, weather
> permiting, so I made a reservation in September.
>
> I've been meaning to write up my non-scientific report, so here it is.
I've
> noticed the high volume of posts and have not been able to plow through
all
> of them yet, but saw yours and appreciated the personal inquiry from a
> (former?) South Floridian.
>
> I think that by being on the list, even as a non-scientific observer, I
> caught Leonids fever.  This Leonids fever may have even become more
> obsession than fever, intensified by the disappointment of missing the
> Perseids and the mystery of the "Earth Grazer" , "Fireball" I witnessed in
> July.  I put these definitions in parentheses becuase I am still not sure
> what it was that I saw.
>
> Anyhow, the weather in Florida had been cloudy and we had also had some
> early morning fog the past few days.  The computer models for cloud cover
> had the Keys in the 60%-80% cloud cover range, while the Florida Panhandle
> was looking cloud free.  I decided not to gamble with the Keys and went to
> St. Andrews State Park on Panama City Beach.
>
> There was some glow from development to the north and east but the
southern
> and western portions of sky were very dark.  I could see the Milky Way and
> although
> it was not as dark as the Keys, it was better than anywhere around Miami.
> I observed from the beach with an unobstructed view to the horizon in all
> directions.
>
> The show was amazing with meteors in all areas of the sky.  I focused
mostly
> on the
> southern and western areas of sky avoiding areas with glow.  However, I
was
> suprised
> that every time I turned around there were bright meteors falling behind
me
> .   Or I would see the flash and shadows cast by meteors that fell behind
> me.
> There was so much activity and the sky is so large that it was impossible
> for any one
> individual to see them all.   There were so many that counting seemed
> futile.  I'm also a non-astronomer and interested in the beauty and magic
of
> observing, so counting would take me out of the moment.  I'm not against
the
> idea of learning to become more of a data collector in the future as I
> understand this information is important to the scientists who make the
> predictions that increase my odds of having those moments.
>
> The whole thing was an adventure for me full of special moments.
> The anticipation fueled by reading the list since July.
> The research to find the best location, also aided by the list.
> The Journey to the Pan Handle.
> The amazing sunset  over the Gulf of Mexico which I enjoyed with a  little
> wine  and a dinner of cheese and crackers.
> Watching the sky turn dark and selecting my beach location for observing.
> Hiking back to my campsite by starlight (about a 25 minute walk) to get
some
> pre-observation sleep.
> Speaking on the phone with Dale from the list and asking for a wake up
call
> just in case.
> Waking up in my tent at midnight central time , an hour before Dale's
> scheduled wake up call,  to the excited shouts of other campers.
> "Did you see that one?"  "There's another one!  Oh my God and another!
Did
> you see that one?"
> Watching the amazing show from 1am until 4am central with the campers who
> woke me.
> Dale's wake up call from Miami an hour and 15 minutes into my own earlier
> than scheduled observation, and Dale's excitement as he yells on his cell
> while driving to the Everglades, " We just saw a Bolide!"
> Being left  by the campers who woke me to watch the peak alone, in the
> cold, wraped in my sleeping bag and accompanied only by the sound of small
> waves from the Gulf of Mexico on the beach.
> To see one after another meteor streak across the sky sometimes in groups
of
> two and three.
> Colors of Blue, Green and Orange.
> All of these memories of meteor bombardment, sensory bombardment,
connecting
> with nature, I will carry with me forever.  Perhaps over time some of
these
> details will fade like the lingering trails and trains of the meteors
> themselves.
> But one of the most beautiful images which is etched into my mind as
stronly
> as my July 6th "Earth Grazer", "Fireball" , Bermuda Triangle Mystery is
> this.
> I remember laying on my back looking up and to the south and then to the
> west trying to catch as many meteors as possible.  At some point around
5am
> central I rolled over onto my right side (unfortunately or fortunately my
> favorite sleeping position) to see the many bright yellow meteors that
were
> falling into the Gulf's western horizon .  I fell asleep , the last
> conscious image burned into my minds eye was two parallel yellow meteors
> dipping into the Gulf.  I awoke with my head in exactly the same positon
> with what I thought were the same two parallel yellow meteors dipping into
> the Gulf.  It took a moment for me to realize that I wasn't dreaming and
> that  I was awake.  I realized that those were two new meteors in the
exact
> location ,
> exact same trajectory, exact same color as the last two that I saw .  I
had
> lost time to the dream world because these two meteors occured in a
> sky with no stars.  I panicked and sat up and looked to the east, sure
> enough it was on fire with a burning  red glow.  It was the sunrise!  I
was
> upset at first , thinking of the possible meteors I must have missed
during
> that dream time.  But then I thought , Wow !  What are the odds and how
> special to have the last conscious image and the first conscious image of
> the day, be two beautiful twin meteors.  Throw in the mystery of and the
> disorientation from the dream world between meteors and I have one of
those
> strange Real/Dream moments that will be with me always.  Perhaps I
thought,
> this might be like what I see and experience someday when my spirit
returns
> to that place where all spirits return one day.  Which might just be an
> illusion or dellusion or a dream , or it may be real like the something
real
> that I think I had just experienced.
>
> Regardless, those moments, those four meteors will be with me forever.
>
> I look forward to more observations and showers in the future.  I look
> forward to sharing meteor observation with my son Ian , who is now four.
I
> had planned on taking him to Long Key.  I decided the trip to the Pan
Handle
> was too much for him.  A tough decision because what better way to
introduce
> him to meteors than during a shower like the Leonids.  Four is a tough
age.
> We were on a moonlight bike ride in Shark Valley , Everglades National
Park
> last August.  I saw about four meteors that night.  While riding in the
> child seat behind my seat, he told me he saw them too.  I'm not so sure he
> did, but I know he sure wanted to. Kids want to be just like the grown
ups.
> It reminded me of when I was five or six and my family would go to Venice,
> Florida to hunt for sharks teeth.  The grownups seemed to find them so
> easily.  I was frustrated because I could not find any.  I would take some
> out of their bucket and toss them ahead of us, then jump with suprise and
> glee.  A real child actor.  Eventually I trained my eyes.  By the age of
ten
> I had jars with thousands of sharks teeth that I found myself!  In High
> School I could always impress the girls by finding a sharks tooth for them
> during a half mile walk on the beach.  And this was in Naples, Florida ,
> known more for shells than sharks teeth.  My eyes were trained for the
> elusive things.  In this regard sharks teeth are like meteors.  Meteors
are
> less tangible than sharks teeth, but no less real.
>
>  Well, that's my report.  Or should I say non-scientific, romantic
ramblings
> of a newbie meteor observer.  Thanks to list for the information used to
> have this experience and to train my eyes for future observing.
>
> Tod Landess
> Miami, Florida
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Lew Gramer <dedalus@latrade.com>
> To: Tod Landess <tlandess@miamidot edu>
> Cc: Lew Gramer (me) <dedalus@alum.mitdot edu>
> Date: Monday, November 26, 2001 6:24 PM
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Jeff and Geoff
>
>
> >
> >>I also live in Miami and am not confident that we will have clear skies.
I
> >>had a campsite reserved at Long Key but I'm now seriously thinking about
> >>heading for the Florida Panhandle. Any thoughts? Is anyone familar St
> Andrews
> >>State Recreation area in Panama City and how dark the skies are there.
> I've
> >>been checking the models for total cloud cover and they look pretty good
> for
> >>that area.
> >
> >Howdy, Tod. My name is Lew Gramer - I'm the administrator for
'meteorobs'.
> >I was out of the country (chasing Leonids naturally) when you sent this
> >email on 16 Nov. I was interested to hear that you had reserved a spot at
> >Long Key - that is my own favorite dark-sky spot for recording major
meteor
> >showers. I am from the area (Homestead really) originally, and try to get
> >down to LKSP at least twice a year... This year though, I was only at
Long
> >Key for the Perseid peak week, as I was traveling to China for the
Leonids!
> >
> >(I did have a reservation at LKSP as a "backup", though - in fact, that's
> >te spot that Jeff Wilson and Bernd Brinkman camped at.)
> >
> >Do you often observe from LKSP? And are you a frequent meteor watcher?
> >
> >Clear skies and take care!
> >Lew Gramer <owner-meteorobs@atmob.org>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>

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