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(meteorobs) NAMN Notes: February 2003



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NAMN Notes:  February 2003
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Introduction:
NAMN Notes is a monthly newsletter produced by the North American Meteor
Network, and is available both via email, and on the NAMN website at:
http://www.namnmeteors.org


Contents:

1.  Memories of Columbia...
2.  February Meteor Showers...
3.  Another Comet for Winter Observers...
4.  Winter Reading for Cold Nights...
5.  Upcoming Meetings...
6.  For more info...


1.  Memories of Columbia...

NAMN wishes to express its condolences regarding the tragedy of the space
shuttle Columbia on February 1st.  All of us who watch the skies are deeply
affected by this tragic news.

Many nights we would watch the shuttle passing overhead, as we were out
observing meteors or doing other astronomical observations, and many nights
we would marvel at the sight of the astronauts flying over our country and
homes.  It has become a familiar sight for those of us who have grown up in
the space age... and we tend to forget that space travel can still be a
dangerous endeavor.  The challenge of space will not end.  The efforts of
man and exploration will continue, and we will all learn from these
experiences.  We will never forget them.

More information on the Columbia disaster can be found on the NASA website
at http://www.nasadot gov and on the Spaceflight Now site at
http://spaceflightnow.com

Any meteor observers with observations, photos or videos of the event are
asked to contact the NASA investigators directly at columbiaimages@nasadot gov
or follow directions for submitting ftp files at
http://www.nasadot gov/columbia/COL_upload.html


2.  February Meteor Showers...

February is a quiet month for meteor observers, due to fewer showers and for
many of us, much colder viewing conditions.  However, there is activity
visible for those hardy enough to get out and observe.

The alpha Centaurids (ACE) reach a maximum on February 8th with a radiant
at 210 degrees, ie RA 14h 00m, Dec -59, which is roughly 50 degrees south of
Spica. So this is a southern shower.  These are fast meteors with a
velocity of about 56 km per second.  ZHR rates will be about 6 meteors per
hour.  This is the Zenithal Hourly Rate, the number of meteors that an
observer would expect to see if they were out under a dark country sky, and
if the radiant, the area in the sky where the meteors seem to come from, is
directly overhead.  The International Meteor Organization (IMO) states
that this shower is capable of "producing many very bright, even
fireball-class, objects" and is one of the "main southern hemisphere high
points in the opening months of the year" - with outbursts possible.
Activity lasts until about February 21st, but rates will be lower away from
the maximum.  A map showing the movement of the radiant can be found at
http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal02.html#alpha-Centaurids.

Although not on the official IMO 'Working List of Visual Meteor Showers', a
watch should be kept for any possible Xi Bootids, first seen by observer
George Gliba from February 5/6 to 8/9 in 1997 from the Florida Keys.  These
were noted as medium velocity meteors, with an average magnitude of about
3.6 and a radiant near the star xi Bootes.  All observations would be
appreciated.  Plotting is recommended.  Xi Bootis is about 8 degrees to the
left of the star Arcturus on a star map.

The delta Leonids (DLE) reach a peak on February 24th with a radiant at 168
degrees, ie RA 11h 12m, Dec +16, which is very near the star theta Leonis,
the lower right star in the triangle at the end of Leo.  These are slow
meteors with a velocity of about 23 km per second.  ZHR rates will only be
about 2 meteors per hour at maximum - but at least should be easily
recognizable!  This shower runs until about March 10th, but at lower rates
after the shower has peaked.  According to the IMO, "this minor shower is
probably part of the early Virginid activity.  Rates are normally low, and
its meteors are predominantly faint, so it is a prime candidate for
telescopic investigation."  A map showing the radiant through February and
March can be found at http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal03.html#delta-Leonids.

The gamma Normids (GNO) start to become active about February 25th, although
will not reach a peak until March 14th.  These are fast meteors at about 56
km per second.  With a radiant very far south in the sky, about 30 degrees
south of the top of the "J" in Scorpius, this is also primarily a southern
shower.  A map showing the radiant can be found at
http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal02.html#gamma-Normids

Lastly, the Virginids (VIR) continue throughout February with meteors that
are average velocity of about 30 km per second.  ZHR rates are about 5
meteors per hour.  On February 10th the radiant will be at 165 degrees, ie
RA 11h 00m, Dec +10, which is about 7 degrees down to the right of theta
Leonis, and not quite in Virgo yet.  Coordinates throughout February can be
found on the IMO site at http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal03.html#Table6.  For
easy use, print off a set of our NAMN star charts at
http://www.namnmeteors.org/charts.html - we show both coordinate versions on
the maps, so you don't have to calculate the radiant position.

For information on minor showers visible, check out Gary Kronk's
'Comets and Meteor Showers' website at http://comets.amsmeteors.org

Besides recognized main showers and other minor showers, there is also
sporadic meteor activity in February.  This sporadic activity is about 7
meteors per hour visible to the unaided eye.  This activity is comprised
partly of random meteors and partly of meteors that belong to long-ago, now
untraceable showers.

February also has several daytime meteor showers - visible to those doing
observations using radio equipment.  Details on these can be found at
http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal03.html#Table7

This month, the phases of the moon are as follows:
Sat.   Feb.  1  new moon
Sun.   Feb.  9  first quarter
Sun.   Feb. 16  full moon
Sun.   Feb. 23  last quarter

Planets at midmonth, and their magnitudes, are:
Venus     -4.2  in east in morning
Jupiter   -2.6  in Cancer
Saturn    -0.1  in Taurus
Mars       1.2  in Sagittarius
A star map showing the planets' positions can be printed off from
http://www.heavens-above.com - Select your location, then go to
'Whole Sky Chart'.

Star charts with star magnitudes marked - to compare your meteors to - can
be found at http://www.namnmeteors.org/charts.html.  Star charts to use in
estimating your sky conditions, your limiting magnitude (LM) can be found
at http://www.imodot net/visual/major01.html#table2

Recording sheets for your data can be found at
http://www.namnmeteors.org/namn_form.html
and an email template at
http://www.namnmeteors.org/appendixC.html
with information on what to record found in our NAMN Observing Guide at
http://www.namnmeteors.org/guide.html


3.  Another Comet for Winter Observers...

Last month we told you about Comet Kudo-Fujikawa, expected to get quite
bright in late January in the northern sky.  Well, it never really did in
spite of being a nice little comet in binoculars.

Along comes February, and there is another comet with hopes of brightness.
It is Comet C/2002 V1 (NEAT), discovered as part of the Near Earth Asteroid
Tracking program.  It was found back in November, using the 1.2 meter
reflector at Haleakala, Hawaii.  Perihelion, closest approach to the sun, is
on February 18th.  So - take your binoculars or telescope out with you when
you head out for some winter meteor observing and get a look at a special
winter sight!

Coordinates and brightness predictions throughout February are as follows,
taken from http://cfa-www.harvarddot edu/iau/Ephemerides/Comets/2002V1_1.html

2003 02 01    23 01.97   +07 13.1    6.0
2003 02 02    22 58.32   +06 57.1    5.8
2003 02 03    22 54.58   +06 39.8    5.6
2003 02 04    22 50.75   +06 21.0    5.4
2003 02 05    22 46.82   +06 00.4    5.2
2003 02 06    22 42.76   +05 37.7    4.9
2003 02 07    22 38.56   +05 12.4    4.7
2003 02 08    22 34.19   +04 44.0    4.4
2003 02 09    22 29.64   +04 11.9    4.0
2003 02 10    22 24.87   +03 35.3    3.7
2003 02 11    22 19.86   +02 52.9    3.2
2003 02 12    22 14.57   +02 03.2    2.8
2003 02 13    22 08.97   +01 03.9    2.2
2003 02 14    22 03.05   -00 08.4    1.6
2003 02 15    21 56.85   -01 39.0    0.8
2003 02 16    21 50.54   -03 36.8   -0.1
2003 02 17    21 44.84   -06 15.7   -1.2
2003 02 18    21 41.86   -09 47.5   -2.0
2003 02 19    21 44.81   -13 46.6   -1.7
2003 02 20    21 53.15   -17 11.2   -0.7
2003 02 21    22 04.38   -19 51.3    0.4
2003 02 22    22 15.98   -21 53.9    1.3
2003 02 23    22 27.93   -23 28.8    2.0
2003 02 24    22 39.73   -24 42.9    2.7
2003 02 25    22 51.23   -25 41.5    3.2
2003 02 26    23 02.40   -26 27.8    3.7
2003 02 27    23 13.19   -27 03.9    4.1
2003 02 28    23 23.59   -27 31.5    4.5

For a map showing the movement of the comet through the constellations,
check out Seiichi Yoshida's 'Weekly Information about Bright Comets' website
at http://www.aerithdot net/comet/weekly/current.html    Information can also
be found on the Sky and Telescope website at http://skyandtelescope.com


4.  Winter Reading for Cold Nights...

For those too cold nights - or the cloudy ones - the following may provide
some interesting reading for observers, especially beginning meteor
observers wanting to learn more about the sky:

http://skyandtelescope.com/howto/
Sky and Telescope's excellent 'How To' section, includes:
- names of the stars
- stellar magnitude system
- understanding celestial coordinates

http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/index.html
Hawaiian Astronomical Society's Storybook and Deep Sky Atlas, includes:
- constellation myths and stories
- printable deep sky maps of each constellation


5. Upcoming Meetings...

March 17-21, Texas, USA...
The 34th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference will be held in League City,
Texas.  A special session will be held on the Chicxulub impact crater
scientific drilling project, with analyses of core samples released.  For
information, check out http://www.lpi.usradot edu/meetings/lpsc2003/ or contact
Paula Walley at walley@lpi.usradot edu.

June 25 - July 2, Moscow, Russia...
The 95th Anniversary of the Tunguska Event, the Tunguska 2003 International
Conference, will be held over several locations - Krasnoyarsk, Vanavara,
and Moscow, with talks and a special excursion to the epicenter of the
Tunguska event.  The organizers welcome all those interested in the
Tunguska event - even if you just want to come as a tourist to visit the
famous Tunguska site!  For information, check out
http://olkhov.narod.ru/conf03.htm#7b or contact Elena Batygina at
batyginaek@evenkya.ru.

August 10-14, Washington State, USA...
The Cometary Dust in Astrophysics conference will be held at Crystal
Mountain, in Washington State, USA.  The purpose of the meeting will be the
integration of astrophysical observations of comets and cosmic dust with
laboratory analyses of interplanetary dust, stardust, and meteorites.  For
more information, check out http://stardust.wustldot edu/CDA.html  or contact
Donald Brownlee at brownlee@bluemoon.astro.washingtondot edu

September 18-21, Bollmannsruh, Germany...
The International Meteor Conference (IMC) of the IMO will be held in
Bollmannsruh, Germany.  This is the annual world meeting for amateur
meteor observers and professionals alike! The location of the conference
is a hostel near the town of Brandenburg, about 40 km west of Berlin.  It
is situated in a rural area by a lake, and facilities include accommodation
in bungalows, a cafe and bar, a lecture hall, an open air stage, and a
place for a campfire and barbecue.  The special  excursion during the
conference will be to Berlin to the Museum for Natural History, for a
lecture on meteorites and viewing of the meteorite collection.  For more
information, check out
http://aipsoe.aipdot de/~rend/2003imc.html and http://www.imodot net/news/imc.html
or contact Ina Rendtel at IRendtel@t-onlinedot de.  IMC 2003 marks the 15th
anniversary of the IMO - so meteor observers from around the globe are all
invited for this special event!

For more information on upcoming astronomy meetings, see: "International
Astronomy Meetings List" at http://cadcwww.hia.nrcdot ca/meetings


6.  For more info...

NAMN email: namn@atmob.org
NAMN website: http://www.namnmeteors.org

Mark Davis, meteors@comcastdot net
Goose Creek, South Carolina, USA
Coordinator, North American Meteor Network

Cathy Hall, chall@cyberusdot ca
Metcalfe, Ontario, Canada
Co-author, NAMN Notes

Lew Gramer, dedalus@alum.mitdot edu
Medford, Massachusetts, USA
Coordinator, Public Outreach
Owner/Moderator, 'MeteorObs'

Kevin Kilkenny, namnmeteorites@yahoo.com
Staten Island, New York, USA
Coordinator, Fireballs and Meteorites

Back issues of NAMN Notes can be found online at the NAMN website and in
the MeteorObs archives at:
http://www.meteorobs.org by selecting 'Browse Archive by Month'

To subscribe to the meteor email list or to find out information on our
weekly chat sessions:
Contact Lew Gramer at: dedalus@alum.mitdot edu

==============================================
Here's to 'Clear Skies' for February...

February 2003 NAMN Notes co-written
by Mark Davis and Cathy Hall
==============================================






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