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(meteorobs) From Central Pennsylvania
> Well, astronomy is similar to real estate. Location, Location, and
> Location.
> The initial reports for the Leonid Meteor shower indicated the counts
> were low. Most observers indicated that the show did not match last
> year (2002).
> However, some did see a large number. As the reports came in,
> certain parts of the United States received a good show. There is
> mention of "earth grazers" and spectular trails.
> There was mention of two separate peaks. We were under moderate cloud
> cover and of course the full moon. In central Pennsylvania, we only
> observed a possible peak in activity about 5:15 AM, local Eastern
> Standard Time. but (interestingly) the observers felt their data was
> not specific enough to add new information to the data base on the
> Leonid Shower. Magnitudes were difficult to determine. At the
> beginning of the event Jupeter (-2 mag) was visible and about eight
> stars near the zenith, the horizion was obscured.
The original plan were to use Juniata College's field station, ( 40.3 N,
78.2 W), the plans were changed as the wet weather made travel on the
mountainous mud roads to the site difficult, and with the unpredictable
cloud cover, a change in location was needed.
Our second choice location, was in a small college town, lat. 40.5 N.
long. 78.0 W., was selected. The model for the Leonids indicated we
could expect to see,
beginning at 3 am local to 7 am local, an estimated 3,299.4 meteors.
Peak was
to be at 5:22 am. In reality, we saw approximately 60 per hour, or one
a minute. A peak in activity was about 5:15 AM local.
> George John Drobnock
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