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(meteorobs) Questions Concerning the Degrees of Meteor Paths

November 9, 2002

Greetings Meteor Enthusiasts!

Thank you Mr. Lew Gramer for the recent commentary on
my meteor direction questions!  Yes, I did thank both
Mr. Lunsford and Mr. Ed Majden for their valuable
answers and input about the topic, in my latest meteor
report,... and I thank them again! 

I have been doing some more meteor hunting lately and
am hoping to have all of the observations posted to
meteorobs sometime in the near future, IF all goes
along accordingly.  

Naturally, since I have been out and about under some
clear, starry nights recently, some more  questions
have come up.  Questions that I hope will help other
observers besides myself.  

If I remember right, on the NAMN web site for the
benefit of new observers, they mention that a fist 
held out at arms' length equals approximately ten
degrees.  With that said, are they referring to a fist
with the thumb hidden or with the thumb visible? 

Many meteor researchers and expert observers alike
value the listing of  path lengths in meteor reports.
While this bit of information is not exceptionally
necessary, it is also a bit difficult to record at
times, especially when one does not have the idea of
degrees firmly rooted with examples.  I and apparently
other meteor hunters use some of the constellations as
aids in tackling this problem.  From the little
information that I have been able to get a hold of, it
has been stated (and probably often) that the distance
between the two stars, Caster and Pollux (in Gemini) 
is about five degrees.  This is the same for the two
outer bowl stars in the Big Dipper (Merak & Dubhe) as
well as for the two brightest stars in Canis Minor. 
Also, about thirty degrees away from the outer
bowl stars of the Big Dipper (which also make good
pointers) is Polaris, the North Star. 

Does anybody know of more such examples of degrees in
the night sky to compare with meteor path lengths?   
Is someone aware of a perhaps better way to record 
such data? 

Thank you all for your time in reading all of this.

Long and slow Taurids!

Mark Fox
Newaygo, MI USA
Coordinates: 43 deg. 27' N, 85 deg. 49' W 

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