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(meteorobs) Leonids Maximum 2002 Report [from Malta]



NOTE: Joseph is not a current 'meteorobs' reader. If you reply,
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text format? If so, please resend it to our list. If not, can
our readers download your raw data from anywhere on the Web?

Clear skies,
Lew Gramer <owner-meteorobs@atmob.org>


> To: <AmateurObserversSociety@yahoogroups.com>,
>     <meteorobs@atmob.org>, <visual@imodot net>
> Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 22:46:04 +0100
> 
> Hi all
> 
> After so many high expectations, we have witnessed a great 
> Leonid storm.
>
> The weather complied and cloud cover was at most 33% and only for a few =
> minutes.  Haze was quite low so moonlight was not too much scattered =
> throughout the sky.  The LM was 5.0 throughout nearly all the =
> observation. =20
> 
> Contrary to expectations most of the Leonids were not fireballs.  In =
> fact, of 956 Leonids I observed, 84% were of magnitude 0 or less and =
> only slightly more than 1% were of magnitude -4 or brighter. =20
> 
> From 1.18UT (2.18LT) to 4.48 UT(5.48LT), comprising 3hrs and 
> 28 minutes =
> of effective observing time, I observed 956 Leonids and 13 
> Sporadics.  =
> However, from around 3.30 UT onwards the rates rose sharply 
> and in fact, =
> 733 of the Leonids were observed between 3.46UT to 4.48UT, 
> i.e. in only =
> 63 minutes!!
> 
> The highlight was at the predicted time of maximum when I noted 99 =
> Leonids in just 5 minutes between 4.01 and 4.05UT.  30 Leonids were =
> observed in just one minute - 4.03UT, which seems to have been the =
> actual peak.  (Note: watches had been synchronised with an 
> atomic clock =
> before the observations).
> 
> Another highlight were six meteors which fanned out of Leo into all =
> directions is a split second, leaving all breathless amid numbers =
> shouted by myself and Martin Galea De Giovanni who were 
> trying to record all magnitudes on tape.
> 
> I have also calculated ZHRs using Metshow - rates rose slowly 
> from 296 =
> at 1.24UT to 536 at 3.08UT.  Then the rates started to increase more =
> rapidly and by 3.48 the ZHR was 1964!!  The peak ZHR was 
> registered at =
> 4.03UT at 5037!!  Rates thereafter decreased to the region of 
> 2800-3600 =
> till the increasing twilight forced me to stop by observation at 4.48.
> 
> Attached is an excel file with detailed magnitude distributions and =
> calculated rates at intervals of 15 minutes up to 3.45UT and 
> intervals =
> of 5 minutes from then onwards.
> 
> Regards
> 
> Joseph Zammit

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