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Re: (meteorobs) Moonlit Leonids

Tony,

> (1) For a meteor shower with a Leonid-like population index, by what factor 
> will a full Moon reduce the number of naked-eye meteors?

My experience is a reduction of limiting magnitudes by 0.7-1.0
magnitudes. Asuming a population index of the 4-revolution trail
of about 2.2, we will see 60% downto 45% of the meteors seen
without moon. There will be many more faint meteors than in the
American peak of 2001, since America now sees the 4-rev trail
which was visible over Asia last year. As the number of meteors
seems to saturate at higher magnitudes (> +4), the loss may not
be so drastical, even if the population index in the 0 - +4 mag
range is higher than 2.2.

Observations into dawn have shown that amazingly many meteors
are still visible even though the stellar limiting magnitude 
had dropped massively. I think that gives us hopes to see a nice
display despite the moon.

> (2) How much could you hope to improve your limiting magnitude on a Moonlit 
> night by, say, moving from a sea-level site with moderate humidity to a dry 
> high mountain observing site ?  (Assume that both sites are free of urban 
> light pollution, but not free of lunar light pollution.)

Go as high as possible, because humidity is the main factor.

> (3) Can you offer any tips in general for observers who want to reduce the 
> effects of lunar interference during the coming Leonid storm?

Choose a geographical longitude close moving the peak close to
dawn. The the moon is lowest. In order to see still the full peak,
choose longitudes near 80 deg west.

That's what I would say could be recommended. 

Best wishes,
Rainer

--
Rainer Arlt  --  Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam -- www.aipdot de
Visual Commission - International Meteor Organization -- www.imodot net
rarlt@aipdot de --  phone: +49-331-7499-354  --  fax: +49-331-7499-526


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