"IMO-News" mailing list archive (1999) ====================================== Date: Sun, 03 Jan 1999 20:50:33 -0400 From: Erwin van Ballegoij & Heidi van der Vloet Subject: Strange 'fireball' Dear reader of IMO-news On December 31 I was sitting with my wife and some friends in the garden, enjoying the fireworks on Aruba, when my wife noticed something strange. She saw a bright object moving horizontally. At first she thought this was some kind of firework. But because it stayed so much longer visible than ordinary fireworks, she drew my attention to it. It clearly was no firework. That wouldn't keep on moving horizontally so slowly without coming down and it wouldn't stay visible for such a long time. What did I see? At 23h44 local time a fireball with a head of magnitude -6 followed by a difuse luminous trail of magnitude -3 appeared. Both head and trail had an orange colour (like sodiumlights). The trail had a lenght of about 5 to 10 degrees and a width (at the end) of 10 arcminutes. It moved extremely slowly. To slow for a meteor and to fast for a satellite or airplane. It came from NE (or NNE) and moved through the E to the SE (or SSE). The object never came higher than 30 degrees and moved roughly horizontally. In the ESE the object showed a weak flare of magnitude -7 and then continued with the same brightness as before. When it came close to the horizon it became fainter. The fireball was visible for about 1 minute. What was this object? It couldn't be a meteor. Perhaps it was a satellite returning from orbit. But the direction of movement was a bit strange for a satellite. It should then be a polar satellite. There are not many such satellites. Does anybody know if a polar satellite returned in the atmosphere at Januari 1 3h44 UT. If so, please let me know! If you can offer me another explanation, please feel free to mail it to me. Yours Erwin van Ballegoij -- ********************************************** * Erwin van Ballegoij en Heidi van der Vloet * * Tarabanaweg 9 * * Oranjestad, Aruba * * tel: ++ 297 821918 * * e-mail: ballegoy@setarnet.aw * ********************************************** Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1999 23:03:57 +0900 From: kaze@tcp-ip.or.jp Subject: 1999 Radio Quadrantids in Japan ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// IMO-NET 1999 Radio Quadrantids in Japan Kazuhiro Suzuki and Kimio Maegawa ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// The Quadrantids meteor shower was very active at 20h-24h corresponding the solar longitude of 283.1-283.2 deg.(eq. 2000.0) on January 3 UT(UT=LT-9h), 1999 in Japan. The strong Quadrantids meteor activity was detected by monitoring forward-scattered meteor echoes of 50 MHz HAM radio wave (JA9YDB, 53.7500 MHz, 50W, operated by K.Maegawa.) at Toyokawa Meteor Observatory, Aichi, Japan. The all echoes(HR=230) remarkably increased to over 5 times of the usual (Hourly Rate=35-45) at 20h-24h UT and hourly rate of long(>20sec) echoes reached to 17(0-1, usual) at 21h-22h UT. Observer: Kazuhiro Suzuki HRO (Radio Meteor Observation using HAM) Location: Toyokawa Meteor Observatory (137.32 deg E, 34.81 deg N) Shiinoki, Toyokawa-city, Aichi, 442, JAPAN Transmitter: JA9YDB 53.7500 MHz, CW 50 W operated by K.Maegawa Transmitter: JA6YBR 50.0170 MHz, operated by Ham Club of Miyazaki Univ. Antenna: Dipole (height 7 m, to zenith) Method of echo sampling: After image procedure was done by PC with FFT software, echoes(>10 dB(S/N)) were counted. LT 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 UT 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 --------------------------------------------------------------------- January,1999 1/ 23 23 34 39 40 45 49 38 39 31 29 26 25 22 21 15 19 10 11 13 18 20 15@21 2 2 1 2/ 42 30 29 41 42 47 48 47 32 34 23 23 25 29 19 18 15 16 13 13 14 19 24@18 1 1 1 3/ 31 29 38 43 42 44 41 52 30 37 43@46 36 32 27 22 18 12 16 10 16 14 33@27 1 1 1 1 1 2 4/ 44 82108129164205232204192134136116@83 85 32 28 17@18 3 5 4 12 11 17 12 14 6 9 4 4 5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- @symbol means corrected hourly rate. . up/down: hourly rate of all echoes / hourly rate of long(> 20 sec.) echoes Mail Sender: Kazuhiro Suzuki, Toyokawa, Aichi, Japan phone:+81-5337-6-2852 E-mail: kaze@tcp-ip.or.jp URL: http://www.tcp-ip.or.jp/~kaze/rmd.htm "Radio Meteor Data, JAPAN" Date: Tue, 05 Jan 1999 15:36:29 +0200 From: Mohammad Odeh Subject: JAS and 1999 Greetings, Glade to send u this E-mail from JAS at the beginning of the 1999. Happy new year, and hope it will be a great year for all of us. In this E-mail: 1- The Establishment of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS). 2- Observing meteors by radio 3- The Leonids '98 4- JAS' Leonids Contest 5- Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP). 6- JAS' home page. ===================================== 1- The Establishment of the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS). With proud JAS organized an Arab conference in August 1998 to establish the AUASS. For more details please visit:- http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/union.html ===================================== 2- Observing meteors by radio. In 1998 JAS began to observe meteors by radio, we got interesting results during the leonids and draconids, for more information, please visit:- http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/radio.html ===================================== 3- The Leonids '98 Unexpectedly, Jordan was well-placed in 1998 to witness the Leonids '98 meteor shower, we observed it visually and by radio, more information can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/leo98.html ===================================== 4- JAS' Leonids Contest Answer some astronomical questions and have the opportunity to visit Jordan for free ! Today we just announced the winners and the answers of the first issue, this can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/cont1a.html , also the second issue is on-line now, so try to answer the question, this can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/contest.html ===================================== 5- Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP). This is a new project we just started. It is organized by the Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS) and JAS. We highly welcome any participant in this project, regardless to his/her religion, experience, and location. To know more, please visit:- http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/icop.html ===================================== 6- JAS' home page. Many updates were done in our site at the start of 1999, please have a look at it, and let us know what u think ? ===================================== That's it. We will be grateful if u kindly inform ur friends and ur group's member of the JAS' Leonids contest, and about ICOP. And we will appreciate it a lot if u can add a link to these page. Hope u will enjoy browsing through our home page, and we always like to hear ur comments and suggestions. Best Regards Moh'd -- ********************************************************************** Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS). Member of JAS Administrative Board. P.O. Box 926932 Amman 11110 Jordan. odehjas@geocities.com http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/index.html (Personal URL) http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/jas.html (JAS URL) ********************************************************************** Date: Sun, 10 Jan 1999 15:11:10 +0100 (MET) From: Sirko Molau Subject: persistent Leonid trains Folks, I have put a sample of our persistent Leonid train recordings to the video pages of IMO at http://www.imo.net/video/vdemo5.html. Be aware that the files shown there are overall >1MB in size. Enjoy! Sirko Molau ---------------------------------------- Sirko Molau -- Video Commission Director International Meteor Organization e-mail: video@imo.net WWW : http://www.imo.net/video ---------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 18:56:07 +0100 From: delpsurf Subject: NEW METEOR PHOTO GALLERY SITE NOW OPEN To all Meteor Enthusiasts Hello I like to introduce a new DMS Internet site that has just opened. http://www.delpsurf.cistron.nl This site is maintained by the Delphinus Meteor Observation Group (one of the most active observation groups within the Dutch Meteor Society) On this site you can discover a less known facet of the DMS In-between the major observation projects we have time to do some Meteor astrophotography making the spectacular pictures On this site there is little to read but then there is more to see hear and to experience This is a site for people who like to experience the great pictures The Leonids Full Color Photo gallery is now open for public. Experience the thrills and excitement of the Leonid 1998 rain of fireballs Have fun Robert Haas DMS Delphinus Meteor Observation Team Note most of these pages are sound and graphic (animation, full Java) enhanced, so we recommend at least Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Internet Explorer 3.0 to best experience this site. Date: Thu, 21 Jan 1999 14:25:19 -0800 (PST) From: Peter Jenniskens Subject: workshop Please provide the information below to other interested parties. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FIRST ANNOUNCEMENT - 1. LEONID MAC WORKSHOP April 12-15, 1999 NASA/Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California INVITATION You are cordially invited to participate in an international workshop at NASA/Ames Research Center to discuss the recent Leonid observing campaigns. The Leonid meteor shower has offered unprecedented opportunity to address outstanding issues in Planetary Astronomy, Astrobiology, and the dynamics of the upper atmosphere. This workshop aims to bring that science in focus, make a tally of observational data from the recent November 1998 observing campaign, and make recommendations for the next campaign in November 1999. In particular, the workshop will discuss the first results from the Leonid Multi-Instrument Aircraft Campaign and related ground-based efforts. ABSTRACT AND REGISTRATION DEADLINE - Abstracts are due: March 1, 1999 - Registration: February 20 for foreign nationals March 1 for US nationals Automatic registration and submission of abstracts is available at: http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/workshops/ More information: peter@max.arc.nasa.gov -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Preliminary program: The meeting will be held in the ballroom of the NASA/ARC Training Center at Moffett Field, California. Monday April 12 09:00-12:00 Session on the role of meteors in creating the conditions for life s origin on Earth Related issues: Astrobiology, atmospheric and surface conditions on the early Earth, formation of planetesimals. 14:00-17:00 Session on comet grain ejection and meteoroid stream dynamics Related issues: the activity of the shower in 1998, Leonid meteoroid influx, size distributions, and the satellite impact hazard. 17:00-18:00 News conference 17:00-20:00 Poster session and wine/cheese and buffet Tuesday April 13 09:00-12:00 Session on meteoroid composition and ablation Related issues: morphology and wake of meteoroids, organic matter in IDPs, organic matter on planetary surfaces, composition of comets, evaporation of silicates in proto-planetary environments. 14:00-17:00 Session on meteor-induced atmospheric chemistry Related issues: meteor physics, shock and impact chemistry, flash pyrolysis of organic matter, upper atmosphere composition and chemistry. 18:00-21:00 Group dinner Invited presentation: "meteors and sprites" Wednesday April 14 09:00-12:00 Session on physics and chemistry of neutral atom debris and particles Related issues: implications for the dynamics of the upper atmosphere, sprites, meteoric signature of stratosphere aerosols, the ozone problem, and iron catalysis of precursor molecules for life. 14:00-17:00 Plans and coordination for November 1999 Leonid MAC and ground-based campaigns in the form of presentation reflecting past campaign and future plans (including presentations of capacity available airborne platforms) followed by working sessions along themes above Thursday April 15 05:0-13:00 Site seeing tour - balloon tour over Napa valley to commemorate historic balloon flight in 1870 that viewed meteor shower above clouds 2. LEONID THREAT CONFERENCE If you have not done so, do not forget to register for the Leonid Meteor Storm and Satellite Threat Conference in Manhattan Beach, CA, which is held between May 11-13, 1999. The conference focusses on aspects of meteoroids and their effects on spacecraft. Further information: http://www.aero.org/conferences/leonid/ .......................................................................... Peter Jenniskens The SETI Institute e-mail: peter@max.arc.nasa.gov NASA Ames Research Center tel: (650) 604-3086 Mail Stop 239-4 fax: (650) 604-1088 Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 http://www-space.arc.nasa.gov/~leonid/ e-mail (attachments): pjenniskens@mail.arc.nasa.gov Date: Wed, 27 Jan 1999 02:39:22 -0800 (PST) From: mihaela triglav Subject: meteors from Corona Borealis 21/22. 1. 1999 Hallo meteor observers, >From two observers in Slovenija Niko Stritof and Igor Grom, which were not observing meteors I got a news that they saw in the night 21/22. 1. 1999 around 10 meteors which were flying from the radiant in or somewhere near of the Corona Borealis. Those meteors they saw in aroud 2 or 3 hours - this were not the effective hours. They were observing from 1 UT in the morning. They say that the meteors was allmost as fast as Leoninds, but maybe a little slower. In the next night Igor didn't any similar meteors. Did anybody observed that night and see them? Clear skies, Mihaela Triglav Astronomical Association Javornik Slovenija _________________________________________________________ DO YOU YAHOO!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 02:41:32 +0900 From: Hashimoto Takema Subject: Re: meteors from Corona Borealis 21/22. 1. 1999 Hello Mihaela, I have been payed attention to that activity in CrB. As far as I know, this shower is appeared during late in Jan. to early in Feb. and maximum is the biggining of the Feb. The HR is about 3 and activity area is Boo to CrB. The character is fast and faint. This shower was observed enhanced activity about HR=7 on Feb. 6, 1970 in Japan. Clear skies! Takema, On Wed, 27 Jan 1999 02:39:22 -0800 (PST) mihaela triglav wrote: > Hallo meteor observers, > > From two observers in Slovenija Niko Stritof and Igor Grom, which were > not observing meteors I got a news that they saw in the night 21/22. > 1. 1999 around 10 meteors which were flying from the radiant in or > somewhere near of the Corona Borealis. Those meteors they saw in > aroud 2 or 3 hours - this were not the effective hours. They were > observing from 1 UT in the morning. > They say that the meteors was allmost as fast as Leoninds, but maybe a > little slower. > > In the next night Igor didn't any similar meteors. > > Did anybody observed that night and see them? > > Clear skies, > > Mihaela Triglav > > Astronomical Association Javornik > Slovenija ----------------------------------- thashi@din.or.jp Hashimoto, Takema Minor Meteor Shower Circular(MMSC) URL : http://www.din.or.jp/~thashi/index_E.htm ----------------------------------- Nippon Meteor Society (NMS) Association of Meteor Observers in and around Tokyo Area (AMOTA) ----------------------------------- Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1999 20:47:28 +0100 From: delpsurf Subject: Leonid pictures To all Meteor Enthusiasts Hello I like to introduce a new DMS Internet site that has just opened. http://www.delpsurf.cistron.nl This site is maintained by the Delphinus Meteor Observation Group (one of the most active observation groups within the Dutch Meteor Society) On this site you can discover a less known facet of the DMS In-between the major observation projects we have time to do some Meteor astrophotography +ACI-making the spectacular pictures+ACI- On this site there is little to read but then there is more to see hear and to experience This is a site for people who like to +ACI-experience+ACI- the great pictures The Leonids Full Color Photo gallery is now open for public. Experience the thrills and excitement of the Leonid 1998 rain of fireballs Have fun Robert Haas DMS Delphinus Meteor Observation Team Note+ADs- most of these pages are sound+ACEAIQ- and graphic (animation, full Java) enhanced, so we recommend at least Netscape Navigator 3.0 or Internet Explorer 3.0 to best experience this site. Date: Thu, 18 Feb 1999 20:29:49 +0200 From: Mohammad Odeh Subject: Observing Meteors by Radio ! Greetings, On 11-12 February JAS organized the 24th Astronomical Camping to observe meteors by radio, and the camping was very successful, where we observed 813 meteors within 7 hours! If u r interested, kindly visit the below address. And we'll be glade to hear ur comments. http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/radio2.html Clear Skies Moh'd -- ********************************************************************** Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS). Member of JAS Administrative Board. P.O. Box 926932 Amman 11110 Jordan. odehjas@geocities.com http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/index.html (Personal URL) http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/jas.html (JAS URL) ********************************************************************** Date: Wed, 17 Feb 1999 12:59:59 +0100 From: Detlef Koschny Subject: New structure of ESA/SSD meteor web pages - aez-l Dear all, please note that I restructured the meteor-related web pages of our institute. Please update all links accordingly. Not all pages are in their final shape yet, but the structure won't change any more. Of course you are kindly invited to visit the pages and comment on them! All our pages can be accessed via the top page: "Meteor observations at ESA/SSD" at http://www.so.estec.esa.nl/planetary/meteors/index.html Specialized sites which you might have referenced before in my personal space (.../~dkoschny/...) were moved to: "Leonids 98 as observed by ESA/SSD" at http://www.so.estec.esa.nl/planetary/meteors/leonids98/index.html "The SIV Project - introduction and contents" http://www.so.estec.esa.nl/planetary/meteors/siv/index.html "ViDAS - The Video Data Archiving System for meteor data" http://www.so.estec.esa.nl/planetary/meteors/vidas/index.html There is also some new stuff on there, like a report on the Meteorendag 1999 which we hosted and more. Check it out! Bye, Detlef/Laffy ---------------------------------------------------------------- Detlef Koschny email: dkoschny@estec.esa.nl European Space Agency ESTEC Sci/SO Keplerlaan 1 phone: +31-71-565-4828 NL-2201 AZ Noordwijk ZH fax: +31-71-565-4697 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 17:06:28 -0800 (PST) From: Peter Jenniskens Second announcement Leonid MAC Workshop / NASA-Ames Research Center / April 12-15, 1999 ------------------------------------------------------------------- This is to remind you that the deadline for registration for the Leonid MAC Workshop is coming up on: March 1. Automatic registration: http://leonid.arc.nasa.gov/workshops/ Purpose of the workshop is to review the first results of the 1998 Leonid campaigns, both ground-based and airborne campaigns, discuss the relevant science, and make recommendations for the upcoming campaigns in November 1999 (in time to help the necessary preparations). Researchers from the fields of meteor physics, atmosphere science, planetary astronomy, and astrobiology are invited to attend, as well as those concerned with the satelite impact hazard of meteor storms. The meeting is international and open to amateurs. We anticipate an exciting 3-day meeting that is very interdisciplinary in nature and that will set the stage for the organisation of next year's campaigns, our last chance to witness a meteor storm in our lifetime. Sincerely, Dr. Peter Jenniskens LOC Leonid MAC Workshop (chair) .......................................................................... Peter Jenniskens The SETI Institute e-mail: peter@max.arc.nasa.gov NASA Ames Research Center tel: (650) 604-3086 Mail Stop 239-4 fax: (650) 604-1088 Moffett Field, CA 94035-1000 http://www-space.arc.nasa.gov/~leonid/ e-mail (attachments): pjenniskens@mail.arc.nasa.gov Date: Thu, 25 Feb 1999 18:56:13 +0200 From: Mohammad Odeh Subject: JAS' Leonids Contest Greetings, Answer some astronomical questions and have the opportunity to visit Jordan for free ! Today we just announced the winners and the answers of the second issue, this can be found at: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/cont2a.html . The third and LAST issue is on-line now, so try to answer the question. U may reach the contest from: http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/contest.html We will be grateful if u kindly inform ur friends and ur group members of this contest. Thank u. Clear Skies Moh'd -- ********************************************************************** Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS). Member of JAS Administrative Board. P.O. Box 926932 Amman 11110 Jordan. odehjas@geocities.com http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/index.html (Personal URL) http://www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1092/jas.html (JAS URL) ********************************************************************** Date: Mon, 1 Mar 1999 11:44:13 +0100 (MET) From: Sirko Molau Subject: unusual meteor activity in early March? Hello folks, at the Leibnitz Institute for Atmospheric Physics in Germany a Lidar (= atmospheric laser) is operated to explore the uppermost parts of our atmosphere. A few years ago they have started to detects individual meteor trails in their data, and to measure the density of selected metal atoms and ions in these trails. At one observing session in early March 1997 clearly enhanced rates of meteor trails were observed, which is unusual, as there is no special activity expected at this time of year. This is why I would like to ask all visual observers to pay special attention to the nights around March 5. Please, tell us if or if not you observe enhanced rates in these nights, and send in your reports right after the observation to IMO's visual commissioner Rainer Arlt (visual@imo.net). Best regards, Sirko Molau ---------------------------------------- Sirko Molau -- Video Commission Director International Meteor Organization e-mail: video@imo.net WWW : http://www.imo.net/video ---------------------------------------- From AIRSPACEDT@aol.com Thu Mar 18 19:43:23 1999 Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 12:09:08 EST From: AIRSPACEDT@aol.com To: imo-news@imo.net Subject: Leonid photos? Greetings, We at Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine are preparing an article on the Leonids meteor shower last year, focusing on a USAF-sponsored mission to Mongolia to observe the shower. We are looking for good photos from around the world of the Leonids shower--single streaks, multiples, you name it. If anyone has such photos and is interested in submitting them, please contact me at wayneday@gwu.edu. We will cover the postage/FedEx costs and pay for all photos used. Sincerely, Dwayne Day Air & Space Smithsonian Date: Sun, 21 Mar 1999 19:12:34 +0100 (MET) From: Sirko Molau Subject: unusual activity in early March? Dear friends, about a month ago I asked for special attention in the nights around March 5. The reason was usual meteor activity that was reported from Lidar observations on the morning of March 7, 1997. Unfortunately, the weather was not very cooperative with most observers in 1999, and moon conditions were not favourable either. Still I received a number of interesting mails, which I want to summarize here. Hashimoto Takema wrote, that Japanese observers have been observing enhanced radio meteor rates between early March and early April with a maximum in late March. However, this is probably not connected to the phenomenon described by the Lidar operators, who observed enhanced rates in a single night only. Chris Steyaert was so kind to check the RMOB radio data of early March for unusual activity. Even though there are some weak structures in the graphs, none of them looks convincing or fits the time of the Lidar observation. Tim Cooper reminded me to the alpha Pyxisids, which showed quite strong activity in March 6/7, 1979. Still, also this shower cannot be the source we were looking for, as the radiant at -35 deg declination hardly rises above the horizon of the Kuehlungsborn observing site. Tim was also able to observe on March 7/8, 8/9 and 10/11, without noting something unusual, however. To cut the long story short: So far there is no convicing hint on distinct meteor activity in early March. I would like to thank those people who communicated their data and helped to clarify the situation. Best regards, Sirko Molau -- ************************************************************************** * Dipl.-Inform. Sirko Molau * * * RWTH Aachen, Lehrstuhl fuer Informatik VI * __ * * Ahornstr. 55, D-52056 Aachen, Germany * " 2B v 2B " * * * * * phone: +49-241-8021615 * Shakespeare * * fax : +49-241-8888219 * * * email: molau@informatik.rwth-aachen.de * * ************************************************************************** * www : http://www.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/I6/Colleagues/molau * ************************************************************************** Date: Wed, 24 Mar 1999 00:09:47 +0900 From: "Hashimoto, Takema" To: IMO-News Subject: A Leonid meteor stormlet in 1997. Hi all, A surprising Leonid meteor stormlet which was recorded by video with Image Intensifire in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, on November 17, 1997 now opens on NMS web site. URL is as below. http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~nms/kinosi_e.html This movie is a 1.3MB AVI format file, which picture size is 320 x 240 and flame rate is about 30 flame/s. It was treated by Cinepack Codec. This article is as below. Kinoshita,M., Maruyama,M., and Sagayama,T., Preliminary activity of Leonid meteor storm observed with a video camera in 1997 GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 26, NO. 1, PAGES 41-44, JANUARY 1,1999 http://earth.agu.org/GRL/articles/1998GL900241/GL602W01.html http://earth.agu.org/GRL/articles/1998GL900241/GL602W01.pdf Clear skies!, Takema ----------------------------------- thashi@din.or.jp Hashimoto, Takema Minor Meteor Shower Circular(MMSC) URL : http://www.din.or.jp/~thashi/index_E.htm ----------------------------------- Nippon Meteor Society (NMS) Association of Meteor Observers in and around Tokyo Area (AMOTA) ----------------------------------- Date: Mon, 29 Mar 1999 18:40:15 -0500 From: Mark Davis Subject: 1998 NAMN Annual Report The 1998 Annual Report of the North American Meteor Network is now available at our website (address below). We had a great year in 1998, with 50+ observers contributing over 900 hours of observations! Thanks to all who participated in our work this past year!! Clear skies, Mark Davis, MeteorObs@charleston.net Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA Visual Program Coordinator North American Meteor Network & American Meteor Society ======================================================= NAMN: http://web.infoave.net/~meteorobs ======================================================= Date: Mon, 5 Apr 1999 03:28:07 -0400 From: Stephen Evans Subject: New web pages Hi everyone, The multiple station imaging group of the British Astronomical Association's Meteor Section now has it's own web pages at: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/stephenevans2 Please pay us a vist. If you like what you see (or even if you dont!) let us know. Cheers Steve Evans BAAMS Date: Tue, 06 Apr 1999 11:41:48 -0700 From: Robert Lunsford Subject: IMO "Who is Who" Update This summer we plan to publish an updated version of our "Who is Who" list. The last list was published in 1997. If any IMO member wishes to update their entry please contact me by June 30 at: secretary@imo.net A less detailed version is constantly updated and available for viewing on the IMO web site at: http://www.imo.net/whoiswho.html Sincerely, Robert Lunsford IMO Secretary-General Date: Thu, 08 Apr 1999 20:48:39 +0200 From: Mohammad Odeh Subject: News from JAS Greetings, In this E-mail:- 1- New URL 2- Mailing Lists 3- Recent Activities. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1- New URL With proud we finally got our own domain name, which is: http://www.jas.org.jo All the previous pages still have the same name, but under the domain www.jas.org.jo/????.html. A redirect page is found at our old site. Please update any link u include in ur site to JAS. Also, we'll be grateful if u inform us about any error u could find at our site due to the transfer, and we will be glad to hear what u think of our site. Your views and comments r highly appreciated. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2- Mailing Lists We have our own mailing lists too. Currently we have two mailing lists:- a- JASnews@onelist.com b- JASlist@onelist.com To know more about them, please visit: http://jas.org.jo/list.html --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3- Recent Activities. Some of our latest activities, some of which are related to Meteors:- http://jas.org.jo/contest.html (JAS' Leonids Contest) http://jas.org.jo/union.html (Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences) http://jas.org.jo/arab.html (Astronomical Societies in the Arab World) http://jas.org.jo/icop.html (Islamic Crescents' Observation Project (ICOP)) http://jas.org.jo/hej19.html (20-hour crescent photo) http://jas.org.jo/leo98.html (JAS' results of the Leonids shower) http://jas.org.jo/radio.html (Observing Meteors by Radio) http://jas.org.jo/pen.html (Penumbral Lunar Eclipse 31 January 1999) http://jas.org.jo/deb.html (Aldebaran Occultation 22 March 1999) http://jas.org.jo/list.html (JAS' mailing lists) http://jas.org.jo/ship.html (JAS' membership) Clear Skies Moh'd -- ********************************************************************** Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS). Member of JAS Administrative Board. P.O. Box 926932 Amman 11110 Jordan. odeh@jas.org.jo http://Beam.to/odeh (Personal URL) http://www.jas.org.jo (JAS URL) ********************************************************************** Date: Mon, 12 Apr 1999 16:02:04 +0200 From: "[iso-8859-1] Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: March-April Meteor Research in the SPMN Dear colleagues, We send in this e-mail meteor observations and last news on our Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (SPMN), an iniciative of the Department of astronomy (University of Valencia) and SOMYCE. A compilation of our activities during 1998 will be published in WGN issue this year, specially remarkable can be the orbit of a Geminid fireball photographied past December by our team. The past March 21th was prepared a double station in the East of Spain between Benicassim and Pobla Tornesa (towns in the Castellon province). In april, we prepare a active campaign of Lirids. During the April 10-11th was developed a triple station between Pobla Tornesa-Pla d'Arguines-Guadalajara. The participating people was: Pedro Arranz, Julio Castellano, Antonio Gutierrez and myself. In the next weekend and during the night of the maximum activity the SPMN will establish new meteor stations in the East and center of Spain. Please note as an advance my meteor visual observations: Observer: Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez (IMO CODE: TRIJO) Dept. Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of València Member of SOMYCE and GEA Observing site: Benicassim, Castellon, Spain Longitude: E 0° 02' 19'' Latitude: 40° 01' 22''N , Altitude: 10 meters. March 21th 1999 METEOR SHOWERS Interval TU Teff Lm F(clouds) B.Leo Virg SPO 0230-0400 1.45 5.70 1.00 1 1? 4 Center field of view: RA=225° Dec=+45° METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION: magnitude vs.(number) Virginids:+3(1) Beta Leonids: +3(1) Sporadics: +2(1.5),+3(1.5),+4(1) ---- April 10-11th 1999 Observer: Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez (IMO CODE: TRIJO) Observing site: Pla d'Arguines, Castellon, Spain Longitude: 0° 23' 50'' W Latitude: 39° 45' 34''N , Altitude: 260 meters. METEOR SHOWERS Interval TU Teff Lm F(clouds) MuVirg. ABoo. Virg. Lir. SPO 2227-0000 1.45 6.20 1.00 2 0 1 - 3 0000-0106 1.00 6.10 1.11 2 1 0 1? 6 Center field of view: RA=220° Dec=+15° METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION: magnitude vs.(number) Mu Virginids: -3(1), +2(1), +3(0.5),+4(0.5),+5(0.5),+6(0.5) Alpha Bootids: +3(0.5),+4(0.5) Virginids:+5(1) Lirids: +3(1) Sporadics: -2(1),+2(0.5),+3(3),+4(1.5),+5(3) Best regards, ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo i Rodriguez Department Astronomia i Astrofísica Universitat de València SOMYCE jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) ****************************************************************** Date: Fri, 9 Apr 1999 10:49:59 +0200 From: "Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: Exact time of Leonids Photographies Dear Mr. Young, First all, my congratulations for the birth announced in your web. Possibly you remember that I'm working in the determination of 1966 Leonids ZHR's and spatial number densities from photographies. My first work on this subject will be published in the 1999 volume A&A as "The 1997 Leonids outburst". I'm working now in a second article comparing activity patterns based partially in your photographies but I need some data. Could you send me urgently the following information: -Site coordinates of Table Mountain Observatory where you has photographied Leonids storm. -Exact begin and end time of exposure to each photography in Universal Time (UT). And finally if you would be so kind, could you send me some information on the approx. site coord. of Lunar & Planetary Institute in Arizona where David Mc. Lean observed Leonids storm in 1966. Finally I invite other potential contributors of 1966 Leonids photographies to come into contact with me. At this moment I know only of photographies obtained during the outburst by Scott Murrell, David Mc. Lean and James W. Young. ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo-Rodriguez Dept. Astronomy & Astrophysics University of Valencia, SPAIN Planetari de Castelló jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) ****************************************************************** Date: Sat, 17 Apr 1999 14:47:09 -0700 (PDT) From: Nikola Bili^Zkov Subject: Article on ILW Croatia on BBC online Hello! There is an article about our Mongloian expedition from BBC news online! You can read it here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_321000/321596.stm _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 10:23:44 METDST From: Rainer Arlt Subject: IMO Shower Circ. LYRIDS 1999 ------------------------------------- I M O S h o w e r C i r c u l a r ------------------------------------- LYRIDS 1999 The number of Lyrid observations which have reached the Visual Commission is not large. Reports by 13 observers as listed below came in during the last week. We are very grateful to these quick reports allowing a first look at the 1999 Lyrid activity. The ZHR profile indicates slightly higher activity of the Lyrids in 1999 compared with most of the recent years which showed maximum activity of ZHR~15 to 20. However, 6 out of the 7 periods averaging to the highest ZHR of 32 in the early morning of April 23 comprise the reports of only two observers at the same location. If the enhanced activity is confirmed by additional observations, it would not manifest an outburst in the sense of the 1982 or older activity peaks, since those were very short in duration. The reports giving ZHR=32 cover the period April 22, 2315 -- April 23, 0216 UT and do not show a clear peak pattern. The centre at a solar longitude of 32.5 deg agrees moderately well with the maximum of the annual Lyrid activity between 32.0 and 32.4 deg. BAKLA Lars Bakmann (Denmark) EINSH Shlomi Eini (Israel) ENZFR Frank Enzlein (Germany) LEVAN Anna Levina (Israel) LINMI Mike Linnolt (USA) MARPI Pierre Martin (Canada) MIKMR Mark Mikutis (USA) MOUPH Philippe Moussette (Canada) NATSV Sven Nather (Germany) RENJU Jurgen Rendtel (Germany) STOWE Wes Stone (USA) VANER Erwin van Ballegoij (Aruba) YOUKI Kim Youmans (USA) ---------------------------------------------- Date Time Sollong nObs nLYR ZHR +- ---------------------------------------------- 1999/04/18 0820 27.9 4 10 6.1 3.8 1999/04/19 0400 28.7 8 15 3.0 1.5 1999/04/20 0255 29.6 11 30 4.8 1.8 1999/04/21 0045 30.5 6 28 7.9 3.0 1999/04/21 0815 30.8 6 21 6.5 2.8 1999/04/22 0225 31.5 6 33 22.7 7.9 1999/04/22 0715 31.7 5 28 14.9 5.6 1999/04/23 0045 32.5 7 50 32.4 9.2 1999/04/23 0855 32.8 4 41 11.8 3.7 1999/04/24 0850 33.8 2 6 5.7 4.7 ---------------------------------------------- Solar longitudes are given with respect to equinox J2000.0; the ZHR is computed with a population index r=2.9 and a zenith correction exponent of gamma=1. nObs is the number of observing periods in the average, it is not the number of different obser- vers contributing. nLYR is the number of Lyrids seen in these periods. --- Rainer Arlt, 1999 April 27. Date: Tue, 27 Apr 1999 11:52:46 +0200 From: "Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: New Lirid data Dear colleagues, Mr. Arlt has announced in the IMO Circular an enhanced activity of Lirids. Also our team of the Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (PSMN) of SOMYCE has noted an important activity of Lirids in 1999. We organised several networks the past days to study the shower around the maximum (April 20-23th) but unfortunately the sky was cloudy. Only reliable data has been obtained in multiple stations developed the 18th and 25th April. These nights were also rich in Lirids. At this moment, I have available only my reduced data. We will send in the next days more data, including one observation of 21th April. Please note as an advance my meteor visual observations: Observer: Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez (IMO CODE: TRIJO) Dept. Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of València Member of SOMYCE and GEA Observing site: Benicassim, Castellon, Spain Longitude: E 0° 02' 19'' Latitude: 40° 01' 22''N , Altitude: 10 meters. April 17-18th 1999 METEOR SHOWERS Interval TU Teff Lm F(clouds) LIR SLeo ABoo. MVirg SPO 0033-0200 1.40 6.10 1.00 4 2 0 0 1 0200-0400 1.90 6.10 1.11 6 0 2 1 12 Center field of view: RA=225° Dec=+15° METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION: magnitude vs.(number) Lirids: +1(1),+2(1),+3(3),+4(3.5),+5(1),+6(0.5) Sigma Leonids: -2(1),+3(1) Mu Virginids: +3(1) Alpha Bootids: +3(1),+5(1.5), +6(0.5) Sporadics: -2(1 train 2s.),-1(1 train 1s.),+1(1),+2(3.5, two trained 1s.),+3(3),+4(1.5),+5(2) ------ April 24-25th 1999 METEOR SHOWERS Interval TU Teff Lm F(clouds) LIR ASco ABoo PBoo EAc SPO 0220-0406 1.70 6.10 1.00 5 2 2 2 2 4 Center field of view: RA=240° Dec=+30° METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION: magnitude vs.(number) Lirids: -1(1),+1(1),+3(1),+4(2) Alpha Bootids: -2(1),+3(1) Alpha Scorpids: -1(1 train 1s), 0(1) Eta Aquarids: +2(1), +4(1) Phi Bootids: +4(1), +5(1) Sporadics: -2(1), 0(1),+3(0.5),+4(1.5) Best regards, ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo i Rodriguez Department Astronomia i Astrofísica Universitat de València SOMYCE jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) ****************************************************************** Date: Fri, 30 Apr 1999 09:05:16 +0200 From: "Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: Additional Lirids observation from Spain Dear colleagues, I send a new observation of the Lirids 99 obtained by a member of the Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (PSMN) of SOMYCE. During April 20-21th the sky was cloudy in five stations of Castello and Valencia provinces and only one station noticed partially clear skies. The observer is beginning in meteor observations but he has reported reliable meteor data according IMO methodology. His meteor visual observations were: Observer: Rafael Ramirez Ramos (New proposed IMO CODE:RAMRA) Observing site: Casinos, Valencia, Spain Longitude: 0° 42' 33'' W ; Latitude: 39° 42' 02''N; Altitude: 300 meters. April 20-21th 1999 METEOR SHOWERS Interval TU Teff Lm F(clouds) LIR SLeo ABoo. SPO 2300-0030 1.40 5.90 1.05 3 1 2 5 Center field of view: RA=210° Dec=+60° METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION: magnitude vs.(number) Lirids: +1(1),+2(1),+5(1) Sigma Leonids: +3(1) Alpha Bootids: +3(1),+4(1) Sporadics: +2(1),+4(4) ------ ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo i Rodriguez Department Astronomia i Astrofísica Universitat de València SOMYCE jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) ****************************************************************** Date: Thu, 6 May 1999 07:59:33 -0700 (PDT) From: Nikola Bili^Zkov Subject: Sonic booms related with Leonids Hello! Is it true that the Leonids can not produce sonic booms? If anyboby know something about it and where I can find information about it, let me tell. I need it URGENTLY! Did anybody record any sonic boom related with Leonids last year? I need URLs and references about it! Thanks, Nikola _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com Date: Tue, 4 May 1999 10:09:56 +0200 From: "Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: More data on Lirids Dear colleagues, An important team of meteor observers has reported from Cuba additional information on Lirids activity the past April 22th. The following data indicates a moderate increase in the activity of this stream in 1999 just as has been reported by Rainer Arlt (IMO). Also it reveal an important sample of bright meteors. I have initiated this team in IMO methodology during the past year and as possibly you remember, its first detailed report was on Leonids 98. Best wishes, ----- IMO Summary Report Observer: Mileny Roche (IMO CODE: ROCMI) Amateur Group COSMOS Observing site: Guanabo River, Habana, Cuba Long(grad,m,s):82,04,30 Lat(grad,m,s):23,09,46 Alt: 7 Meters April 22th 1999 begin(UT): 8:21 end(UT): 9:21 METEOR SHOWERS Interval(UT) Teff Lm F(clouds) Lyr Spo 0821-0921 1 5,7 1,02 7 1 Center field of view:RA(h,m)=19,51 Dec(grad,m)=08,52 METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION:Magnitude versum number Lyrids: Magnitude -1(2),0(1),1(1),2(2),3(2) Sporadics: -1(1) IMO Summary Report Observer: Mileny Roche (IMO CODE: ROCMI) Amateur Group COSMOS Observing site: Guanabo River, Habana, Cuba Long(grad,m,s):82,04,30 Lat(grad,m,s):23,09,46 Alt: 7 Meters April 22th 1999 begin(UT): 9:21 end(UT):10:17 METEOR SHOWERS Interval(UT) Teff Lm F(clouds) Lyr Spo 0921-1017 0,92 5,7 1,05 7 2 Center field of view:RA(h,m)=19,51 Dec(grad,m)=08,52 METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION:Magnitude versum number Lyrids: Magnitude -3(1),-2(0),-1(1),0(1),1(0),2(2),3(3) Sporadics: 2(1),3(1) IMO Summary Report Observer: Monica de la Guardia (IMO CODE: GUAMO) Amateur Group COSMOS Observing site: Guanabo River, Habana, Cuba Long(grad,m,s):82,04,30 Lat(grad,m,s):23,09,46 Alt: 7 Meters April 22th 1999 begin(UT): 8:05 end(UT): 8:58 METEOR SHOWERS Interval(UT) Teff Lm F(clouds) Lyr Spo 0805-0858 0,88 5,7 1,05 5 1 Center field of view:RA(h,m,s)=18,37 Dec(grad,m,s)=38,47 METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION:Magnitude versum number Lyrids: Magnitude 0(1),1(2),2(2) Sporadics: 1(1) IMO Summary Report Observer: Monica de la Guardia (IMO CODE: GUAMO) Amateur Group COSMOS Observing site: Guanabo River, Habana, Cuba Long(grad,m,s):82,04,30 Lat(grad,m,s):23,09,46 Alt: 7 Meters April 22th 1999 begin(UT): 8:58 end(UT): 9:54 METEOR SHOWERS Interval(UT) Teff Lm F(clouds) Lyr Spo 0858-0954 0,93 5,8 1,06 9 2 Center field of view:RA(h,m)=18,37 Dec(grad,m)=38,47 METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION:Magnitude versum number Lyrids: Magnitude -1(3),0(2),1(1),2(3) Sporadics: 2(1),3(1) IMO Summary Report Observer: Monica de la Guardia (IMO CODE: GUAMO) Amateur Group COSMOS Observing site: Guanabo River, Habana, Cuba Long(grad,m,s):82,04,30 Lat(grad,m,s):23,09,46 Alt: 7 Meters April 22th 1999 begin(UT): 9:54 end(UT): 10:27 METEOR SHOWERS Interval(UT) Teff Lm F(clouds) Lyr Spo 0954-1027 0,55 6,1 1,1 4 1 Center field of view:RA(h,m)=18,37 Dec(grad,m)=38,47 METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION:Magnitude versum number Lyrids: Magnitude -1(1),0(3) Sporadics: -1(1) IMO Summary Report Observer: Erick Mota (IMO CODE: MOTER) Amateur Group COSMOS Observing site: Guanabo River, Habana, Cuba Long(grad,m,s):82,04,30 Lat(grad,m,s):23,09,46 Alt: 7 Meters April 22th 1999 begin(UT): 9:08 end(UT): 10:06 METEOR SHOWERS Interval(UT) Teff Lm F(clouds) Lyr Spo 0908-1006 0,97 6,1 1 13 2 Center field of view:RA(h,m)=18,37 Dec(grad,m)=38,47 METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION:Magnitude versum number Lyrids: Magnitude -1(3),0(5),1(2),2(2),3(1) Sporadics: -1(1),0(0),1(1) ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo i Rodriguez Department Astronomia i Astrofísica Universitat de València SOMYCE jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 13:07:56 -0400 From: Mark Davis Subject: NAMN Notes: May 1999 The May issue of the North American Meteor Network's "NAMN Notes" is now available on our home page. The address is: http://web.infoave.net/~meteorobs Clear skies! Mark Davis, MeteorObs@charleston.net Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina, USA Coordinator, North American Meteor Network Date: Thu, 13 May 99 04:48:40 +0800 From: Stuart Saunders Subject: Real time sharing? Hello fellow starry eyed people. The 'season' has just begun, and I would like to suggest we make more use of the internet, specifically email, in real time. E.g. if we notice enhanced activity, expected or unexpected, we should as soon as possible make a quick message on this board. Not so long as to interrupt our viewing. It may be as simple as '^! 10.30 UT', or ' ^^^^^!! 13.45 UT! 15 / 4 / 99 Apha Centaurids'. We could use a five ^ rating, system, e.g., five ^^^^^ for a must see, down to a one ^ for 'something interesting'. That would allow us all to make better use of our time, yet still catch as many showers, etc, as possible. I live in a city with fairly polluted air; thus it requires a lot of effort to get to a good viewing zone, but it can be done in 2 - 3 hours. For a 4^^^^ or a 5 ^^^^^, it would be worth it, and possibly also for a three, if I'm not too busy. As things are, I miss almost everything. Also, with the Leonids last year, some real time information sharing may have indicated that the shower had peaked early, and some of the traffic jams we experienced here in Taiwan could have been eliminated. A lot of eyes and cameras are available, but can't watch all the time. How about it? I look forward to hearing others comments. Yours ^uplookingly ^, Stuart Saunders. stuart@ficnet.net Date: Thu, 20 May 1999 10:31:52 +0200 (MET DST) From: jrendtel@aip.de Subject: Real time sharing? Hi everybody, On May 13, Stuart Saunders wrote: > The 'season' has just begun, and I would like to suggest we make more use > of the internet, specifically email, in real time. > > E.g. if we notice enhanced activity, expected or unexpected, we should as > soon as possible make a quick message on this board. Not so long as to > interrupt our viewing. > > It may be as simple as '^! 10.30 UT', or ' ^^^^^!! 13.45 UT! 15 > / 4 / 99 Apha Centaurids'. > > We could use a five ^ rating, system, e.g., five ^^^^^ for a must see, > down to a one ^ for 'something interesting'. > > That would allow us all to make better use of our time, yet still catch > as many showers, etc, as possible. > > I live in a city with fairly polluted air; thus it requires a lot of > effort to get to a good viewing zone, but it can be done in 2 - 3 hours. > For a 4^^^^ or a 5 ^^^^^, it would be worth it, and possibly also for a > three, if I'm not too busy. As things are, I miss almost everything. > Also, with the Leonids last year, some real time information sharing may > have indicated that the shower had peaked early, and some of the traffic > jams we experienced here in Taiwan could have been eliminated. > > A lot of eyes and cameras are available, but can't watch all the > time. > > How about it? I look forward to hearing others comments. > > Yours ^uplookingly ^, > Stuart Saunders. > stuart@ficnet.net > Similar ideas were discussed already some years ago, but there are some facts which are against an alert system for meteor activity outbursts: The typical duration of an outburst is of the order of 1/2 hour; only exceptionally longer (June-Bootids, Leonid background). The lucky observer who witnesses such an outburst will follow the activity rather than go to the PC and mail a message. If he does, he will miss the event, and others read it only after it is over. Similar things happened in the past with the November Monocerotids. The only chance to get other observers involved is the use of a mobile phone and to call others in the same longitude range (country) while continuing to observe. Observers in other regions will either face daylight or the radiant below the horizon. Only if the activity continues after you had to finish observing (due to clouds, twilight, ...), a message can make sense. However, a rating is of no use, because the activity may vary within a very short time scale. Even if you know that an interesting meteor shower occurs, you have two choices - watch from light-polluted area and see the "bright part" of the display, or go to a darker site and see the "last part" of the display... I am afraid, this is not very encouraging. But even if you observe regularly, you may miss such events. As you said, one cannot watch all the (night-)time. That's why only an international network of observers can improve the chance that no unusual events are missed. Juergen Rendtel IMO President -- ************************************************************************ Juergen Rendtel Astrophysical Institute Potsdam jrendtel@aip.de Telegrafenberg A 27 Phone: (+49) 331 - 288 2327 (office) D-14473 Potsdam Fax: (+49) 331 - 288 2310 http://aipsoe.aip.de/~rend/rnl-p.html International Meteor Organization Arbeitskreis Meteore e.V. Phone: (+49) 33208 - 50753 (priv.) Seestr.6, D-14476 Marquardt ************************************************************************ Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 00:46:00 +0200 From: Casper ter Kuile Subject: Fwd: Re: Real time sharing? > > >>Hi everybody, >> >>On May 13, Stuart Saunders wrote: >> >>> The 'season' has just begun, and I would like to suggest we make more use >>> of the internet, specifically email, in real time. >>> >>> E.g. if we notice enhanced activity, expected or unexpected, we should as >>> soon as possible make a quick message on this board. Not so long as to >>> interrupt our viewing. >>> >>> It may be as simple as '^! 10.30 UT', or ' ^^^^^!! 13.45 UT! 15 >>> / 4 / 99 Apha Centaurids'. >>> >>> We could use a five ^ rating, system, e.g., five ^^^^^ for a must see, >>> down to a one ^ for 'something interesting'. >>> >>> That would allow us all to make better use of our time, yet still catch >>> as many showers, etc, as possible. >>> >>> I live in a city with fairly polluted air; thus it requires a lot of >>> effort to get to a good viewing zone, but it can be done in 2 - 3 hours. >>> For a 4^^^^ or a 5 ^^^^^, it would be worth it, and possibly also for a >>> three, if I'm not too busy. As things are, I miss almost everything. >>> Also, with the Leonids last year, some real time information sharing may >>> have indicated that the shower had peaked early, and some of the traffic >>> jams we experienced here in Taiwan could have been eliminated. >>> >>> A lot of eyes and cameras are available, but can't watch all the >>> time. >>> >>> How about it? I look forward to hearing others comments. >>> >>> Yours ^uplookingly ^, >>> Stuart Saunders. >>> stuart@ficnet.net >>> >>Similar ideas were discussed already some years ago, but there are >>some facts which are against an alert system for meteor activity >>outbursts: >> >>The typical duration of an outburst is of the order of 1/2 hour; >>only exceptionally longer (June-Bootids, Leonid background). The >>lucky observer who witnesses such an outburst will follow the >>activity rather than go to the PC and mail a message. If he does, >>he will miss the event, and others read it only after it is over. >>Similar things happened in the past with the November Monocerotids. >>The only chance to get other observers involved is the use of a >>mobile phone > >You can also e-mail whit an mobile phone a alert e-mail to imo news > Yours Robert Haas DMS Hi Robert and all other IMO-list members, I think both you and Jurgen are right. Many observers will try to communicate their observations to other observers in different locations on the planet. We nowadays have lots of technical means at our disposal: GSM with laptop at every observing site. But I agree with Jurgen I will not be sending e-mails when there is a Leonid-storm in the sky! Perhaps only one to mark the very beginning of the outburst but after that we will have to take care for our observations. At the end of the observing session we have plenty of time (...) to send lots of e-mails to all corners ot the earth. And to publish very first results on our websites. You and I have to be sure the photography and video-systems will be running smoothly at our respective locations. And not only that but we are also in charge for supplying exact timings of possibly photographed bright meteors. So please stick to only one e-mail when you still have some time left to do so. When twilight starts we will combine all observations and generate one e-mail message to let everybody know of our results. The contents of this e-mail will also be published at the website. Best wishes, Casper. >and to call others in the same longitude range >>(country) while continuing to observe. Observers in other regions >>will either face daylight or the radiant below the horizon. Only >>if the activity continues after you had to finish observing (due >>to clouds, twilight, ...), a message can make sense. However, a >>rating is of no use, because the activity may vary within a very >>short time scale. Even if you know that an interesting meteor >>shower occurs, you have two choices - watch from light-polluted >>area and see the "bright part" of the display, or go to a darker >>site and see the "last part" of the display... >>I am afraid, this is not very encouraging. But even if you observe >>regularly, you may miss such events. As you said, one cannot watch >>all the (night-)time. That's why only an international network >>of observers can improve the chance that no unusual events are >>missed. >> >>Juergen Rendtel >>IMO President >> >>-- >>************************************************************************ >>Juergen Rendtel Astrophysical Institute Potsdam >>jrendtel@aip.de Telegrafenberg A 27 >>Phone: (+49) 331 - 288 2327 (office) D-14473 Potsdam >>Fax: (+49) 331 - 288 2310 >>http://aipsoe.aip.de/~rend/rnl-p.html >> International Meteor Organization >> Arbeitskreis Meteore e.V. >>Phone: (+49) 33208 - 50753 (priv.) Seestr.6, D-14476 Marquardt >>************************************************************************ >> > Casper ter Kuile, Dutch Meteor Society (DMS) Akker 145, NL-3732 XD, De Bilt, The Netherlands Tel. +(31)-30-2203170, Fax. +(31)-30-2202695 GSM-BEN: +(31)-6-24242445, GSM-KPN: +(31)-6-53270844 E-mail_1: pegasoft@accu.uu.nl E-mail_2: dms-web@wxs.nl DMS website: http://home.wxs.nl/~dms-web/index.html Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 08:47:07 +0200 From: "Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: RE: Real time sharing? Dear IMO colleagues, >>On May 13, Stuart Saunders wrote: >>> How about it? I look forward to hearing others comments. A detailed analysis of meteor outbursts could be very interesting in the future. We have only one possibility to increase the number of potentially observers, a short communication between IMO members using mobile phones as has been proposed by Robert Haas. For example we can to establish a telephonic chain between some IMO responsibles in different countries. Only one call by person could be sufficient to alert a increasing team of observers in all Europe! I think that more interesting people to form part of the chain are experienced IMO members placed out of urban zones. It only requires a little organization of the chain. In the case of anormal (but moderate) activity of meteor showers I think that if we send a short message to IMO list immediately afterwards the observation, it could be a good inducement to increase the number of observers in the following solar longitudes. An example could be the past Lirids, June Bootids, etc...A fine lot of observers informed of meteor outbursts can increase the effective time by campaign and, consequently, the intrinsic value of the IMO meteor research. . >>The only chance to get other observers involved is the use of a >>mobile phone You can also e-mail whit an mobile phone a alert e-mail to imo news > Yours Robert Haas DMS [Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez] Of course! I think both you and Jurgen are right. But I agree with Jurgen I will not be sending e-mails when there is a Leonid-storm in the sky! [Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez] Of course not!... but a short alert call could be sufficient! Perhaps only one to mark the very beginning of the outburst but after that we will have to take care for our observations. At the end of the observing session we have plenty of time (...) to send lots of e-mails to all corners ot the earth. And to publish very first results on our websites. [Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez] Yes, but and if our team is the single...and the data are reduced and imcomplete as just now? I think that we should use IMO organisation to establish an international team of meteor research. You and I have to be sure the photography and video-systems will be running smoothly at our respective locations. And not only that but we are also in charge for supplying exact timings of possibly photographed bright meteors. So please stick to only one e-mail when you still have some time left to do so. [Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez] Regards, ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo i Rodriguez Department Astronomia i Astrofísica Universitat de València SOMYCE jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) ****************************************************************** Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 18:23:10 +0500 (GMT+0500) From: "Ask Astronomer (arp)" Subject: RE: Real time sharing? Dear IMO friends, On the issue of real time sharing and passing the information quickly about any increasing in activity I would like to suggest that we should join hands with the HAMs. I wrote to you on this issue around Leonid '98 but at that time some thing funny was happening and people were getting empty mails (this also had resulted in me getting some "tough" mails). HAMs are amateur wireless operators and they too enjoy their hobby just like us except that to be able to communicate by wireless one is required to take a licence from respective governments. Once you get the licence (you also get a call sign) you can talk to other HAMs all over the world -- and of course free of charge. During special events a chain of HAMs pass the information from one to another. Since the meteors do affect communication HAMs are interested in meteors too. A few years ago two hams - one from India and the other in Kazakistan (I think) carried out a communication excercise during the Quadrantide shower. Well the moral of the story is let us and HAMs get together. If you know some HAM you may ask him/her to contact VU2VPR (OM Vilas) he had been quite active HAM for many years. I further suggest that let us all meet on the AIR say on 12th of June (enough time to organize). I can organize our boyes. In fact we (meteor observer's group) are going to a place called Lonar which is a site of impact crater. This crater is filled with water. And if we all agree then we can have ralley on the air. Regards Arvind ------------------------------------------ Arvind Paranjpye Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics Post Bag 4, Ganeshkhind, Pune 411 007 INDIA Date: Wed, 26 May 1999 14:04:15 -0400 From: Lew Gramer Subject: IMO-NEWS Re: Real time sharing? There is an ongoing dicussion over the official mailing list of the International Meteor Organization ("imo-news"), at to how real-time meteor alerts can best be distributed around the world. Thus for example, if a sudden outburst of a meteor shower is observed, how can those who witness it best notify other potential observers of the ongoing event? Until now, discussion focused on the appropriateness of using the IMO-NEWS list itself. Now however the topic seems to be branching into areas I thought might be of interest to 'meteorobs' readers... (Message forwarded without permission.) Clear skies! Lew Gramer Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 15:02:30 +0300 From: Mohammad Odeh Subject: JAS Activities and Observations !! Hello ! JAS has ended the JAS' Leonids Contest, at which a winner from Netherlands won the GRAND prize, which is a free visit to Jordan during the Leonids '99. More information about that as well as other news can be found below. In this email:- ------------- There r many news, but I believe u should find several ones of ur interest ! 1- Comet LEE is green as photographed by JAS ! 2- JAS' observed the 35-hour WANING crescent for 45 minutes after the sunrise !! 3- Watch the 99 Solar eclipse from Iraq ! 4- JAS is supervising 19 astronomy clubs in schools !! 5- JAS' Membership 6- Get our weekly lectures by email. 7- The winners of the Third & Last JAS' Leonids Contest. 8- Articles written for JAS. 9- Services by JAS. 10- Contact AUASS. 11- JAS' Mailing Lists ============================================== 1- Comet LEE is green as photographed by JAS ! During our 25th astronomical camping (The Silver Jubilee !!) in the Jordanian desert, we could easily spot Comet Lee, where it appeared as a green fuzzy ball in our photographs. For more information please visit:- http://www.jas.org.jo/jub.html ============================================== 2- JAS' observed the 35-hour WANING crescent for 45 minutes after the sunrise !! It seems that our 25th astronomical camping was special !! Where in that camping we were able to track the 35-hour waning crescent by telescope until about 45 minutes after the sunrise. I must say, it was a very hard job ! By the way, in the 25th camping we observed other 50 objects in the sky !! For more information please visit:- http://www.jas.org.jo/jub.html ============================================== 3- Watch the 99 Solar eclipse from Iraq ! The University of Mosul (In Iraq) organizing an astronomical & astrophysical conference and observation activities during the period 9-12 August. U r invited !! So have a look please at: http://www.jas.org.jo/sol99.html ============================================== 4- JAS is supervising 19 astronomy clubs in schools !! One of our most important aims is to spread the astronomical knowledge among the school students, and so far we successfully established and supervising 19 astronomy clubs in different schools. For more details, kindly visit:- http://www.jas.org.jo/clubs.html ============================================== 5- JAS' Membership Do u wish to be a JAS' member ? If so then kindly visit: http://www.jas.org.jo/ship.html ============================================== 6- Get our weekly lectures by email. Now just by sending an empty email to: jas.lec@apexmail.com , u will get our weekly lectures for the current month. Try it !! mailto:jas.lec@apexmail.com ============================================== 7- The winners of the Third & Last JAS' Leonids Contest. Today we have declared the winners of the Third & Last JAS' Leonids Contest. Including the winner of the GRAND prize, which is a free visit to Jordan. To see the winners in all the contests, kindly visit: http://www.jas.org.jo/contest.html. Also, we truly thank all who assisted us in the contest by offering the prizes. We really appreciate their favor. ============================================== 8- Articles written for JAS. This is a new section introduced at our site, in which several scientists or amateurs write astronomical articles at our site. However, it is still the beginning, and we invite any interested friend to write for us ? For more information please visit:- http://www.jas.org.jo/article.html ============================================== 9- Services by JAS. Also, we care about our visitors, where we offer them a real good services, to see them kindly visit:- http://www.jas.org.jo/service.html ============================================== 10- Contact AUASS. The Arab Union for Astronomy and Space Sciences (AUASS) has a residence now, and u may contact it by the addresses found at:- http://www.jas.org.jo/conaua.html ============================================== 11- JAS' Mailing Lists As announced earlier, we have just established several mailing list, and we eagerly wait ur participation !! To subscribe in any of them, please visit:- http://www.jas.org.jo/list.html ============================================== That's it for now. I guess quit enough :-). We always do appreciate ur comments on our activities, so please let us hear from u ...... Comments..... Suggestions..... New Ideas..... etc. Clear Skies Moh'd -- ********************************************************************** Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS). Member of JAS Administrative Board. P.O. Box 926932 Amman 11110 Jordan. Fax: (001)(707) 221-0918. odeh@jas.org.jo http://Beam.to/odeh (Personal URL) http://www.jas.org.jo/ (JAS URL) ********************************************************************** Date: Thu, 27 May 1999 15:00:49 +0300 From: Mohammad Odeh Subject: Re: Real time sharing? Greetings, I tend to agree with mr. Saunders. Although Mr. Juergen gave convincing problems, such as the observer will NOT leave the great show in the sky to inform the others ! Or some observers will get the message late. but let us take the last Leonids peak as an example ! Where I couldn't attend our society's camping in the desert due to my exams. So, I stayed at Amman (Capital of Jordan) at that time, and at about 11 pm I was talking with Mr. Werfried who was observing visually and by radio, and as he brought my attention to the unexpected peak ! I went to observe the show from my light polluted area, and I did realize that there was a real thing happening in the sky ! Directly I sent an email to both; this mailing list and to Meteorobs. in which I mentioned the peak !!! I believe that many observers made use of such quick alert ! We don't have to inform all the observers about the high-activity of meteors ! I tend to believe that there will be persons to send such alerts, and there will be receivers as well. Also those who can know the subject of the email received by their mobile telephone will find such alerts in a great usefulness. Although most outbursts r short-lived, but an alert about such past Leonids background will be MUCH appreciated !! I don't think any one can forget that great show if he/she was observing at that time !!! At least let us try it ?? Such symbol could be fine: ' ^^^^^!! 13.45 UT! 15/ 4 / 99 Apha Centaurids'. Best Wishes Moh'd -- ********************************************************************** Mohammad Shawkat Odeh. Jordanian Astronomical Society (JAS). Member of JAS Administrative Board. P.O. Box 926932 Amman 11110 Jordan. Fax: (001)(707) 221-0918. odeh@jas.org.jo http://Beam.to/odeh (Personal URL) http://www.jas.org.jo/ (JAS URL) ********************************************************************** Date: Fri, 04 Jun 1999 08:00:27 -0400 From: Mark Davis Subject: Back Issues of NAMN Notes The June issue of NAMN Notes has been posted to the website of the North American Meteor Network. The previous five issues are also located there. The address to the site is: http://web.infoave.net/~meteorobs -Mark Davis Date: Mon, 07 Jun 1999 14:19:58 +0200 From: Luigi Foschini Subject: New Expedition in Tunguska I would like to inform you that the Department of Physics of the University of Bologna, jointly with the Astronomical Observatory of Torino and the Institute of Marine Geology of CNR in Bologna, is organizing a new scientific expedition, that next july will go in the Tunguska region to investigate what happened during the famous event of June 30, 1908. You can find more details about the expedition, the participants, photos, and other at the Tunguska Home Page at the University of Bologna: http://www-th.bo.infn.it/tunguska/ Thank you very much for your attention. For the Tunguska99 Press Office: Dr. Luigi Foschini CNR - ISAO (formerly FISBAT and IMGA) Via Gobetti 101, I-40129 Bologna (Italy) Tel. +39 0516399620; Fax +39 0516399654 E-mail: L.Foschini@isao.bo.cnr.it URL: http://www.isao.bo.cnr.it/~dinamica/ Date: Sat, 22 May 1999 00:46:00 +0200 From: Casper ter Kuile Subject: Fwd: Re: Real time sharing? >Delivered-To: pegasoft@hydra.accu.uu.nl >From: "delpsurf" >To: "Juergen Rendtel" , >Cc: "Juergen Rendtel" >Subject: Re: Real time sharing? >Date: Sun, 6 Dec 1998 00:01:18 +0100 >X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 4.72.3110.5 > > >-----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- >Van: Juergen Rendtel >Aan: imo-news@imo.net >CC: Juergen Rendtel >Datum: vrijdag 21 mei 1999 17:41 >Onderwerp: Real time sharing? > > >>Hi everybody, >> >>On May 13, Stuart Saunders wrote: >> >>> The 'season' has just begun, and I would like to suggest we make more use >>> of the internet, specifically email, in real time. >>> >>> E.g. if we notice enhanced activity, expected or unexpected, we should as >>> soon as possible make a quick message on this board. Not so long as to >>> interrupt our viewing. >>> >>> It may be as simple as '^! 10.30 UT', or ' ^^^^^!! 13.45 UT! 15 >>> / 4 / 99 Apha Centaurids'. >>> >>> We could use a five ^ rating, system, e.g., five ^^^^^ for a must see, >>> down to a one ^ for 'something interesting'. >>> >>> That would allow us all to make better use of our time, yet still catch >>> as many showers, etc, as possible. >>> >>> I live in a city with fairly polluted air; thus it requires a lot of >>> effort to get to a good viewing zone, but it can be done in 2 - 3 hours. >>> For a 4^^^^ or a 5 ^^^^^, it would be worth it, and possibly also for a >>> three, if I'm not too busy. As things are, I miss almost everything. >>> Also, with the Leonids last year, some real time information sharing may >>> have indicated that the shower had peaked early, and some of the traffic >>> jams we experienced here in Taiwan could have been eliminated. >>> >>> A lot of eyes and cameras are available, but can't watch all the >>> time. >>> >>> How about it? I look forward to hearing others comments. >>> >>> Yours ^uplookingly ^, >>> Stuart Saunders. >>> stuart@ficnet.net >>> >>Similar ideas were discussed already some years ago, but there are >>some facts which are against an alert system for meteor activity >>outbursts: >> >>The typical duration of an outburst is of the order of 1/2 hour; >>only exceptionally longer (June-Bootids, Leonid background). The >>lucky observer who witnesses such an outburst will follow the >>activity rather than go to the PC and mail a message. If he does, >>he will miss the event, and others read it only after it is over. >>Similar things happened in the past with the November Monocerotids. >>The only chance to get other observers involved is the use of a >>mobile phone > >You can also e-mail whit an mobile phone a alert e-mail to imo news > Yours Robert Haas DMS Hi Robert and all other IMO-list members, I think both you and Jurgen are right. Many observers will try to communicate their observations to other observers in different locations on the planet. We nowadays have lots of technical means at our disposal: GSM with laptop at every observing site. But I agree with Jurgen I will not be sending e-mails when there is a Leonid-storm in the sky! Perhaps only one to mark the very beginning of the outburst but after that we will have to take care for our observations. At the end of the observing session we have plenty of time (...) to send lots of e-mails to all corners ot the earth. And to publish very first results on our websites. You and I have to be sure the photography and video-systems will be running smoothly at our respective locations. And not only that but we are also in charge for supplying exact timings of possibly photographed bright meteors. So please stick to only one e-mail when you still have some time left to do so. When twilight starts we will combine all observations and generate one e-mail message to let everybody know of our results. The contents of this e-mail will also be published at the website. Best wishes, Casper. Casper ter Kuile, Dutch Meteor Society (DMS) Akker 145, NL-3732 XD, De Bilt, The Netherlands Tel. +(31)-30-2203170, Fax. +(31)-30-2202695 GSM-BEN: +(31)-6-24242445, GSM-KPN: +(31)-6-53270844 E-mail_1: pegasoft@accu.uu.nl E-mail_2: dms-web@wxs.nl DMS website: http://home.wxs.nl/~dms-web/index.html Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 20:51:52 +0200 From: José María Fernández Andújar Subject: A question Dear friends; I am interested in software to study of meteorites. I only know the calculation of THZ to study of the meteoric tube. Do others algoritms exist? I have designed a "new" algorithm to study of the meteoric tube , perhaps others algoritms more new than THZ already exist. Could somebody explain me wich mathematical tools are used in the study of meteorites? Very thanks Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 15:55:49 +0100 From: Alastair McBeath Subject: 1999 Beta Taurids Alert - Possible Swarm Appearance 1999 Beta Taurids Alert - Possible Swarm Appearance >From Alastair McBeath, IMO Vice-President, e-mail: vice_president@imo.net In 1993 David Asher presented a paper to the International Meteor Conference in Puimichel [1] describing a theoretical resonant swarm of particles within the Taurid/Beta Taurid stream which could account for various meteor shower enhancements, increased fireball fluxes and even meteoritic impacts associated with the Taurid Complex of meteoroid streams, asteroids and comets. He used this theory to suggest times when future returns of the proposed "swarm" might lead to increased activity from the nighttime Taurid showers active in October-November, and the daytime Beta Taurids of June-July. He suggested that 1999 could see a return of the swarm during the Beta Taurid activity period, which is the purpose of this reminder warning now. Results from late October 1998 [2] suggested an enhanced Taurid period had been detected by radio and visual observers in the closing days of the month, along with an increased flux of minor Taurid fireballs (magnitudes -3 to -8). Another of David's predictions for the swarm was that a recurrence might be expected in October-November 1998, which may well be what was recorded. The Beta Taurids are usually assumed to last from about June 5 to July 17, reaching an ill-defined single maximum around June 28 (solar longitude 96.7 degrees (all solar longitudes given here are for eq. J2000.0)) from a radiant at approximately alpha = 086 degrees, delta = +19 degrees. There is some disagreement in the published data on the shower concerning most of these parameters however (cf. [3]). Most authors suggest a lengthy, flat maximum occurs in late June to early July. Forward scatter radio results from 1994-1997 [4] indicated a moderate-strength echo count enhancement occurred between roughly solar longitudes 91-93 degrees, with signs of weaker activity bracketing this "peak" between solar longitudes 89-99 degrees. It is not clear if this activity belongs to the Beta Taurids, nor whether this represents a shift in the maximum time by several days if so, but the 89-99 degrees spell is at least comparable in length to the Taurid maximum time in early November. From their orbital parameters, it is clear the Taurids and Beta Taurids are linked, either as two encounters by the Earth with the same stream, or as two separate streams which follow very similar orbits, so it is not unreasonable we may extrapolate details for the Beta Taurids from what we know of the Taurids. If we can do this, it is possible any swarm enhancement of the Beta Taurids this June might occur up to 5-8 days before the expected maximum, following the relative timings of events seen last October. To identify what happens with the Beta Taurids this year, whether a swarm event or not, I would suggest radio observers should be especially alert between June 18-19 through to July 2-3 at least (still later in July might be better, as some earlier results suggested a Beta Taurid maximum around July 2 or 3; this has not been found in data from the 1990s so far, however), as continuously as possible. This should cover whatever the shower produces and also provide non-peak data for calibration. Ideally, 24-hour-a-day monitoring should be carried out, but if this is not possible, try to make your observing runs at the same time every day. The Beta Taurid radiant is above the horizon between roughly 03-04h local time to about 18-19h, for northern hemisphere sites between approximately 35-55 degrees north near June 28. There are likely to be problems because of Sporadic-E interference, other atmospheric events (storms, etc.), and potentially Auroral-E as activity builds in Solar Cycle 23. Times when any of these occurred should also be included in your reports. Furthermore, there is the possibility that the June Bootids, which produced their sudden, and quite unexpected, outburst on 1998 June 27-28, may recur this year (again on June 27-28 if their timing is the same as in 1998). So far, it has not been possible to say why the Bootid outburst happened last June, so telling when another one might transpire is presently impossible. The overlap in radio-visibilities between the Beta Taurids and the June Bootids is significant for sites north of about +45 degrees latitude, which created problems in analysing the Bootid outburst by radio in 1998. This means any unexpected radio peak around June 28 this year need not have resulted from the Beta Taurids. Only careful analysis of a large enough body of data will reveal this. Non-radio observers are faced with a very difficult prospect, because the centre of the Beta Taurid radiant is just 10 degrees or so west of the Sun on June 28. Tropical or near-equator observers might possibly see a few slow-moving shower fireballs in the strong predawn twilight an hour or two before sunrise at some point during the dates given above, if anything unusual happens from the shower this year. As even the outer fringes of the radiant will be on or below the horizon however, the meteors will probably have exceptionally long paths across the sky. For particularly northern hemisphere observers, there is the additional possibility that a few daylight fireballs might occur if a swarm appearance manifests. This is because the Beta Taurid radiant will be high to very high above the horizon for a large part of the day near the shower's expected best from such places. Those who routinely handle the American DoD satellite reports which feature especially brilliant meteors (Zdenek Ceplecha's "superbolides") should pay particular attention to any events that occur during the late June to early July period as well; an increased flux could represent something unusual from the Beta Taurids. Although the nighttime Taurids do not have much of a reputation for producing these especially brilliant fireballs, the Beta Taurids may be capable of doing so, assuming for example that the major clustering event of lunar impacts, detected by the Apollo programme's seismometers, of about ten days' duration centred on 1975 June 22 was due to this source. There are of course no guarantees that anything unusual will happen from the Beta Taurids this year, but even establishing that no swarm recurrence happened in 1999 June-July with some degree of certainty would help refine David Asher's model of the Taurid Complex swarm. Even a swarm appearance is not guaranteed to produce spectacularly high rates or dozens of bright meteors. If the 1998 late October Taurid event was due to a recurrence of the swarm, it should be noted that the visual ZHRs from the shower were enhanced only to the level of normal maximum rates (combined ZHRs ~9-10; usually no better than ~5-7 in late October), while the Taurid fireball percentage was roughly double that in normal years. Observations should be submitted to all the usual places you routinely do, but copies can also be e-mailed to me as well. Please bear in mind that I am still most unwell however (as noted in WGN 27:2), so do not expect a rapid response. Good luck, and clear, Sporadic-E-free skies for your data collection! References: [1] D. Asher, "Meteoroid Swarms and the Taurid Complex", in: "Proceedings IMC, Puimichel 1993", ed. P. Roggemans, IMO, 1993, pp.88-91. [2] A. McBeath, "SPA Meteor Section Results: September-October 1998", WGN (in press). [3] G. W. Kronk, "Meteor Showers: A Descriptive Catalog", Enslow, 1988, pp.115-118. [4] A. McBeath, "The Forward Scatter Meteor Year", in: "Proceedings IMC, Petnica 1997", eds. A. Knoefel & A. McBeath, IMO, 1998, pp.39-54. Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1999 10:30:13 +0200 From: "Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez" Subject: Pons-Winneckids Dear colleagues, A team of the Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (PSMN) of SOMYCE has observed in the same solar longitude where the past year appeared an important activity from Pons-Winneckids radiant. The observers were Julio Castellano (26th June), Antonio Gutierrez and myself. The past two days we have covered global meteor activity but Pons-Winneckids activity was low or unexistent. At this moment, I have available only my reduced data. Please note as an advance my meteor visual observations: Observer: Josep Mª Trigo i Rodriguez (IMO CODE: TRIJO) Dept. Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Valencia Member of SOMYCE and GEA Observing site: Pic Bartolo, Benicàssim, Castellon, Spain Longitude: E 0° 02' 40'' Latitude: 40° 04' 55''N , Altitude: 390 meters. June 27th 1999 METEOR SHOWERS Interval TU Teff Lm F(clouds) PW SPO 2033-2130 1.13 5.60 1.00 1? 2 Center field of view: RA=195° Dec=+40° METEOR MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTION: magnitude vs.(number) Pons-Winneckids: +4(1) Sporadics: +2(1, trained 1s.),+3(1) Best regards, ******************************************************************* Josep Ma. Trigo i Rodriguez Department Astronomia i Astrofísica Universitat de València SOMYCE jmtrigo@ctv.es http://www.ctv.es/USERS/jmtrigo Phones : (+Spain Code) 964 - 282584 / 282968 (office) (964) 395064 (part.) Fax: 964 - 285161 c/Manuel de Falla 26, 12.560 Benicassim (Castello) ****************************************************************** Date: Mon, 28 Jun 1999 16:50:26 +0200 From: Lars Bakmann Subject: Pons-Vinneckids Despite the nearly impossible circumstances,( the Moon and lat. 56 deg.) I tried to carry out an observation of the June- Bootides ( Pons - Vinneckids ). High activity should at least show some few meteors,but the June - Bootides where not detectable here from Denmark. Observer : Lars Bakmann ( BAKLA ) The Danish meteor section, Astronomical Society Denmark Observing site : Tirstrup, 8400 Ebeltoft Denmark Long. 10 deg 41`42`` Lat. 56 deg. 17` 30`` Date UT Teff Lm F PW SP June 27/28 2200 - 2300 1.0 4.0 1.0 0 0 Best regards Lars Bakmann Date: Fri, 02 Jul 1999 14:12:59 +0100 From: Alastair McBeath Subject: Leonid video outburst over Hawaii, 1997 November Leonid video outburst over Hawaii, 1997 November From: Alastair McBeath, IMO Vice-President; e-mail: vice_president@imo.net Some of you may recall reading about this unusual event in late 1997 or early 1998. I recently received a copy paper on it from Masao Kinoshita, one of the observers and authors, and because of its potential importance particularly to video meteor observers and analysts, those people involved in Leonid stream modelling, and those who take an interest in unusual meteoric phenomena, I draw your attention to it here. The paper is: "Preliminary activity of Leonid meteor storm observed with a video camera in 1997", by Masao Kinoshita, Takuya Maruyama & Toru Sagayama, Geophysical Research Letters volume 26:1, pages 41-44 (1999 January 1). The abstract reads as follows: "Optical meteor observations were carried out in Mauna Kea, Hawaii, in November 1997, in order to investigate the activity of Leonid shower under strong moon shine. We report a spectacular event of a meteor burst, with 100-150 meteors in only two seconds, observed at the time of descending node of the comet at 13:31 UT on November 17, 1997. From a preliminary analysis, the spread of the meteors in the orbit are estimated to be approximately 100 km along the trajectory and 50 km in the lateral direction. This observed meteor rate is comparable to the maximum hourly rate reported in 1966. The video camera observation shown here can be very useful for observations during the forthcoming strong Leonid meteor storm." I must note here that the outburst was observed only by video camera, however. Photographic cameras active simultaneously recorded only a couple of meteors, while the visual observer reported seeing just one meteor (a magnitude -2 event, the brightest detected). This means that a direct comparison with the visually-estimated ZHRs of the 1966 Leonid storm cannot be made, as video and visual meteor rates are not the same, partly because of the video system's more objective viewing techniques, but also because video cameras are typically far more sensitive to infra-red radiation than the human eye. In addition, this video Leonid meteor outburst was not typical of even previously detected short-lived meteor outbursts from other sources, such as the Draconids of 1985 or 1998 or the Alpha Monocerotids of 1995, as it lasted not some minutes or tens of minutes, but 1.57 seconds! It is more likely that a very small fragment of Comet Tempel-Tuttle which remained reasonably coherent until quite close to the Earth, or a larger friable meteoroid in the Leonid stream which broke apart on the outer fringes of the Earth's atmosphere (as also suggested in the paper by Kinoshita et al.) was responsible for the small spatial distribution of the meteoroids in the observed event. The paper is definitely recommended reading. Date: Sat, 03 Jul 1999 22:09:05 +0900 From: "Kawasaki, Yasuhiro" Subject: Re: Leonid video outburst over Hawaii, 1997 November On Fri, 02 Jul 1999 14:12:59 +0100 Alastair McBeath wrote: >Leonid video outburst over Hawaii, 1997 November > >From: Alastair McBeath, IMO Vice-President; e-mail: >vice_president@imo.net > >The paper is: "Preliminary activity of Leonid meteor storm observed with >a video camera in 1997", by Masao Kinoshita, Takuya Maruyama & Toru >Sagayama, Geophysical Research Letters volume 26:1, pages 41-44 (1999 >January 1). >The paper is definitely recommended reading. The Leonid video outburst can also be seen at NMS (Nippon Meteor Society) WEB page. The address is as follows. http://www2u.biglobe.ne.jp/~nms/kinosi_e.html --------------------------------------------- Kawasaki, Yasuhiro (JAPAN) IMO / Nippon Meteor Society Kansai Astronomical Society e-mail : river@skyblue.ocn.ne.jp --------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 06 Jul 1999 22:36:52 METDST From: Rainer Arlt Subject: IMO Shower Circ: June Bootids 1999 ------------------------------------- I M O S h o w e r C i r c u l a r ------------------------------------- JUNE BOOTID Activity 1999 Despite the strong interference with the Full Moon in the end of June, some observers tried to monitor the activity of the June Bootids, mostly in the night June 27-28. The unexpected outburst of the shower with maximum ZHRs possibly above 200 last year made many observers curious to see what would happen in 1999. No outburst of June Bootid activity was observed in 1999. Regular observations reported so far are listed in short below: ------------------------------------------------------------- Observer Country Date Period UT Lm JBO ------------------------------------------------------------- Michal Haltuf Czech Rep. June 26 2109-2132 5.1 0 Pierre Martin Canada June 27 0315-0600 5.2 0 Josep M. Trigo Spain June 27 2033-2130 5.6 1 Roberto Gorelli Italy June 27 2100-2230 4.7 0 Michal Haltuf Czech Rep. June 27 2223-2244 5.0 1 Sven Nather Germany June 27 2331-0054 4.9 0 Michal Haltuf Czech Rep. June 28 0112-0123 4.8 0 ------------------------------------------------------------- More informal reports habe been received from Frank Enzlein, Jurgen Rendtel, and Nikolai Wunsche all indicating non-existent June Bootid activity. Note that not all geographical longitudes are covered by these observations; a short peak may be possible, though it is very unlikely given the broad activity profiles of past outbursts. -- Rainer Arlt, 1999 July 6. visual@imo.net Date: Thu, 08 Jul 1999 21:02:22 +0000 From: Andre Knoefel Subject: IMO 2000 Meteor Shower calender International Meteor Organization 2000 Meteor Shower Calendar (Net Version) ========================================= compiled by Alastair McBeath and Rainer Arlt based on information in IMO Monograph No.2: Handbook for Visual Meteor Observers, edited by Juergen Rendtel, Rainer Arlt and Alastair McBeath, IMO, 1995, and additional material extracted from data analyses produced since. Layout by Andre Knoefel. Introduction ------------ Welcome to the 2000 International Meteor Organization (IMO) Meteor Shower Calendar. The year promises many Moon-free major showers (except the Lyrids, Perseids, Orionids and Geminids), and the Leonids may produce high to storm rates in November. Of especial interest is the chance to see what the June Bootids produce in late June after their unexpected outburst in 1998. Do not forget that monitoring of meteor activity should ideally be carried on throughout the rest of the year too, however! We appreciate that this is not practical for many observers, and this Calendar was devised as a means of helping observers deal with reality by highlighting times when a particular effort may most usefully be employed. Although we include to- the-hour predictions for all the more active night-time and daytime shower maxima, based on the best available data, please note that in many cases, such maxima are not known more precisely than to the nearest 1deg of solar longitude (even less accurately for the daytime radio showers, which have only recently begun to receive regular attention again). In addition, variations in individual showers from year to year mean past returns are at best only a guide as to when even major shower peaks can be expected, plus as some showers are known to show particle mass-sorting within their meteoroid streams, the radio, telescopic, visual/video and photographic meteor maxima may occur at different times from one another, and not necessarily just in these showers. The majority of data available are for visual shower maxima, so this must be borne in mind when employing other observing techniques. The heart of the Calendar is the Working List of Visual Meteor Showers, thanks to regular updating from analyses using the IMO's Visual Meteor Database, the single most accurate listing available anywhere today for naked-eye meteor observing. Even this can never be a complete list of all meteor showers, since there are many showers which cannot be properly detected visually, and some which only photographic, radar, telescopic, or video observations can separate from the background sporadic meteors, present throughout the year. The IMO's aims are to encourage, collect, analyze, and publish combined meteor data obtained from sites all over the globe in order to further our understanding of the meteor activity detectable from the Earth's surface. Results from only a few localized places can never provide such total comprehension, and it is thanks to the efforts of the many IMO observers worldwide since 1988 that we have been able to achieve as much as we have to date. This is not a matter for complacency, however, since it is solely by the continued support of many people across the whole world that our steps towards constructing a better and more complete picture of the near- Earth meteoroid flux can proceed. This means that all meteor workers, wherever they are and whatever methods they use to record meteors, should follow the standard IMO observing guidelines when compiling their information, and submit their data promptly to the appropriate Commission for analysis. Visual and photographic techniques remain popular for nightly meteor coverage (weather permitting), although both suffer considerably from the presence of moonlight. Telescopic observations are much less popular, but they allow the fine detail of shower radiant structures to be derived, and they permit very low activity showers to be accurately detected. Video methods continue to be dynamically applied as in the last few years, and are starting to bear considerable fruit. These have the advantages, and disadvantages, of both photographic and telescopic observing, but are increasing in importance. Radio receivers can be utilized at all times, regardless of clouds, moonlight, or daylight, and provide the only way in which 24-hour meteor observing can be accomplished for most latitudes. Together, these methods cover virtually the entire range of meteoroid sizes, from the very largest fireball-producing events (using all-sky photographic patrols or visual observations) through to tiny dust grains producing extremely faint telescopic or radio meteors. However and whenever you are able to observe, we wish you all a most successful year's work and very much look forward to receiving your data. Clear skies! January to March ---------------- The year's first quarter brings several low activity showers, including the diffuse ecliptical stream complex of the Virginids, active from late January to mid-April. Both major showers, the northern-hemisphere Quadrantids and the southern-hemisphere alpha-Centaurids are excellently- placed with regard to the Moon this year. The minor delta-Cancrids are lost in the near-full Moon glare in January, but the weak delta-Leonids in late February and the gamma-Normids in mid-March fare better. Daylight radio peaks are theoretically due from the Capricornids/Sagittarids around 02h UT on February 2, and the chi-Capricornids on February 14, around 03h UT. Recent radio results suggest the Cap/Sgr peak may fall 2-3 days later than this however, while no significant enhancement in radio rates was found near the expected chi-Capricornid peak between 1994-1999. As both showers have radiants <10deg-15deg west of the Sun at maximum, they cannot be regarded as visual targets even from the southern hemisphere. Quadrantids ----------- Active: January 1-5; Maximum: January 4, 05h UT (lambda = 283.16deg); ZHR = 120 (can vary around 60-200); Radiant: alpha = 230deg, delta = +49deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 41 km/s; r = 2.1 at maximum, but variable; TFC: alpha = 242deg, delta = +75deg and alpha = 198deg, delta = +40deg (beta> 40deg N). PFC: before 00h local time alpha = 150deg, delta = +70deg; after 00h local time alpha = 180deg, delta = +40deg and alpha = 240deg, delta = +70deg (beta > 40deg N). The year opens with a superb return of the Quadrantids for northern hemisphere observers, as the Moon is just two days before new on January 4. Since the shower's radiant is in northern Bootes, it is circumpolar for many northern locations, but it attains a useful elevation only after local midnight or so, and gets higher towards morning twilight. An interesting challenge is to try spotting the occasional long-pathed shower member from the southern hemisphere around dawn, but sensible Quadrantid watching cannot be carried out from such locations. The maximum time given above is based on the best-observed return of the shower ever analyzed, from IMO 1992 data, confirmed by radio results in 1996, 1997 and 1999. A repeat of this time in 2000 would favor sites from Europe to the east coast of North America. The peak itself is normally short-lived, and can be easily missed in just a few hours of poor winter weather in the north, which may be why the ZHR level apparently fluctuates from year to year, but some genuine variability is probably present too. For instance, visual ZHRs in 1998 persisted for over two hours at their best. An added level of complexity comes from the fact that mass-sorting of particles across the meteoroid stream may make fainter objects (radio and telescopic meteors) reach maximum up to 14 hours before the brighter (visual and photographic) ones, so observers should be alert throughout the shower! Past observations have suggested the radiant is very diffuse away from the maximum, contracting notably during the peak itself, although this may be a result of the very low activity normally seen away from the hours near maximum. Photographic and video observations from January 1-5 would be particularly welcomed by those investigating this topic, using the PFCs and TFCs given above, along with telescopic and visual plotting results. alpha-Centaurids ---------------- Active: January 28-February 21; Maximum: February 8, 16h UT (lambda = 319.2deg); ZHR = variable, usually around 6, but may reach 25+; Radiant: alpha = 210deg, delta = -59deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6 V = 56 km/s; r = 2.0. The alpha-Centaurids are one of the main southern hemisphere high points in the opening months of the year, producing many very bright, even fireball- class, objects (meteors of at least magnitude -3). Their peak ZHR is normally around 5-10, but in 1974 and again in 1980, bursts of only a few hours' duration yielded activity closer to 20-30. As we have no means of telling when another such event might happen, photographic, video and visual observers are urged to be alert, especially this year, as the Moon is new just three days before their maximum. Thanks to their brilliance, even a normal alpha-Centaurid return is worth looking out for, and almost one-third leave fine persistent trains after them. The radiant is nearly circumpolar for much of the sub-equatorial inhabited Earth, and is at a useful elevation from late evening onwards. delta-Leonids ------------- Active: February 15-March 10; Maximum: February 25 (lambda = 336deg); ZHR = 2; Radiant: alpha = 168deg, delta = +16deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 23 km/s; r = 3.0; TFC: alpha = 140deg, delta = +37deg and alpha = 151deg, delta = +22deg (beta > 10deg N); alpha = 140deg, delta = -10deg and alpha = 160deg, delta = 00deg (beta < 10deg N). 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. Visual observers must make very accurate plots of the meteors to distinguish them from the nearby Virginids and the sporadics. Northern hemisphere sites have a distinct advantage for covering this stream, especially this year as the waning gibbous Moon will rise around or after midnight at the peak for sites north of 35deg N latitude. Southern hemisphere watchers should not ignore the stream, as they are better-placed to note many of the other Virginid radiants, but with moonrise as early as 22h30m at 35deg S latitude on February 25, conditions are not ideal. At least the delta-Leonid radiant in mid-Leo is well on view for most of the night near the peak. gamma-Normids ------------- Active: February 25-March 22; Maximum: March 13 (lambda = 353deg); ZHR = 8; Radiant: alpha= 249deg, delta= -51deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 56 km/s; r = 2.4; TFC: alpha = 225deg, delta= -26deg and alpha = 215deg, delta= -45deg (beta < 10deg S). gamma-Normid meteors are similar to the sporadics in appearance, and for most of their activity period, their ZHR is virtually undetectable above this background rate. The peak itself is normally quite sharp, with ZHRs of 3+ noted for only a day or two to either side of the maximum. Activity may vary somewhat at times, with occasional broader, or less obvious, maxima having been reported in the past. Post-midnight watching yields best results, when the radiant is rising to a reasonable elevation from southern hemisphere sites. First quarter Moon on March 13 is thus excellent news, as it will set before midnight. All forms of observation can be carried out for the shower, though most northern observers will see nothing from it. April to June ------------- Meteor activity picks up towards the April-May boundary, with showers like the Lyrids (maximum expected between April 21, 22h UT to April 22, 05h UT), pi- Puppids (peak around April 23, 09h UT) and eta-Aquarids. Both former sources suffer from bright waning gibbous moonlight this year. During May and June, most of the activity is in the daytime sky, with six shower peaks expected during this time. Although a few meteors from the o-Cetids and Arietids have been reported from tropical and southern hemisphere sites visually in past years, sensible activity calculations cannot be carried out from such observations. For radio observers, the expected UT maxima for these showers are as follows: April Piscids - April 20, 02h; delta-Piscids - April 24, 01h; epsilon-Arietids - May 9, 00h; May Arietids - May 16, 01h; o-Cetids - May 20, 00h; Arietids - June 7, 03h; zeta-Perseids - June 9, 03h; beta-Taurids - June 28, 02h. Some signs of most of these peaks were found in data from 1994-1998, except the April Piscids and May Arietids. The ecliptical complexes continue with some late Virginids and the best from the minor Sagittarids in May-June. Visual observers hoping to see any possible June Lyrid peak this year on June 15 will be severely hampered by full Moon. eta-Aquarids ------------ Active: April 19-May 28; Maximum: May 5, 17h UT (lambda = 45.5deg); ZHR = 60 (occasionally variable); Radiant: alpha = 338deg, delta= -01deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 66 km/s; r = 2.7; TFC: alpha = 319deg, delta = +10deg and alpha = 321deg, delta = -23deg (beta < 20degS). This is a fine, rich stream associated with Comet 1P/Halley, like the Orionids of October, but it is visible for only a few hours before dawn essentially from tropical and southern hemisphere sites. Some useful results have come even from sites around 40deg N latitude in recent years however, and occasional meteors have been reported from further north, but the shower would benefit from increased observer activity generally. The fast and often bright meteors make the wait for radiant-rise worthwhile, and many events leave glowing persistent trains after them. While the radiant is still very low, eta-Aquarid meteors tend to have very long paths too, which can mean observers underestimate the apparent speeds of the meteors, so extra care is needed when making such angular speed estimates. A relatively broad maximum, sometimes with a variable number of submaxima, usually occurs in early May. ZHRs are generally above 30 for almost a week centred on the main peak, based on IMO observations between 1988-1997. With new Moon on May 4, the shower is perfectly-placed for watchers in 2000. All forms of observing can be used to study the eta-Aquarids, with radio work allowing activity to be followed even from mid-northern latitude sites throughout the daylight morning hours. The radiant culminates at about 08h local time. June Bootids ------------ Active: June 26-Jul 02; Maximum: June 27, 01h UT (lambda = 95.7deg); ZHR = variable, 0--100+; Radiant: alpha = 224deg, delta = +48deg; Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 18 km/s; r = 2.2; TFC: alpha = 156deg, delta = +64deg and alpha = 289deg, delta = +67deg (beta = 25deg-60deg N). Following the wholly unexpected strong return of this shower in 1998, we are delighted to reintroduce the June Bootids to the Working List of visual meteor showers this year, and to encourage all observers to routinely monitor the expected activity period in case of future outbursts. Prior to 1998, only four definite returns of the shower had been detected, in 1916, 1921 and 1927. With no significant visual reports between 1928-1997, we were justified in assuming the stream no longer encountered the Earth, and accordingly removed the shower from the Working List in 1996. The dynamics of the stream are not well understood. The shower's parent comet 7P/Pons- Winnecke was last at perihelion in January 1996, and its orbit currently lies around 0.24 astronomical units outside the Earth's orbit at its closest approach, so we have no way at present to predict likely future activity. In 1998, high Bootid rates (ZHRs 50-100+) were visible for more than half a day, beginning shortly before the time indicated above, again quite contrary to the short-lived nature of other known shower outbursts. The radiant is at a useful elevation for most of the short summer night in the northern hemisphere (only), and the waning crescent Moon, just four days from new, will present no real problems. July to September ----------------- Minor shower activity continues apace from near-ecliptic sources throughout this quarter, first from the Sagittarids, then the Aquarid and Capricornid showers, and finally the Piscids (whose most likely peak on September 19 will suffer from the bright waning Moon) into September. The two strongest sources, the Southern delta-Aquarids and the alpha-Capricornids, are free from moonlight this year, along with the less-active Piscis Austrinids, Southern iota-Aquarids and Northern delta-Aquarids. Something of the Pegasids should still be seen in early July as well, but the July Phoenicids (peak July 13), Perseids (maxima expected near 05h and 10h UT on August 12; if the tertiary peak - seen so far only in 1997 - repeats in 2000, that should fall around 19h UT on August 12), kappa-Cygnids (maximum August 17) and Northern iota-Aquarids (peak August 19) all lose their best rates to bright moonlight. The alpha-Aurigids are much more favourable, and even the delta-Aurigids in early September are not too unfavourable. For daylight radio observers, the interest of May-June has waned, but there remain the visually-inaccessible gamma-Leonids (peak circa August 25, 03h UT, though not found in recent radio results), and a tricky visual shower, the Sextantids (maximum expected September 27, 03h UT, but possibly occurring a day earlier). The latter prediction is perfectly timed for new Moon, though the radiant rises less than an hour before dawn in either hemisphere. Pegasids -------- Active: July 7-13; Maximum: July 9 (lambda = 107.5deg); ZHR = 3; Radiant: alpha = 340deg, delta = +15deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 70km/s; r = 3.0; TFC: alpha = 320deg, delta = +10deg and alpha = 332deg, delta = +33deg (beta > 40deg N); alpha = 357deg, delta = +02deg (beta < 40deg N). Monitoring this short-lived minor shower is never easy, as a few cloudy nights mean its loss for visual observers. The shower is best-seen in the second half of the night, good news as the waxing gibbous Moon will set soon after midnight for the more favorable northern hemisphere sites, to 00h30m at 35deg S latitude. The maximum ZHR is generally low, and swift, faint meteors can be expected. Telescopic observing would be especially useful. Piscis Austrinids and Aquarid/Capricornid Complex ------------------------------------------------- Piscis Austrinids ----------------- Active: July 15-August 10; Maximum: July 27 (lambda = 125deg); ZHR = 5; Radiant: alpha = 341deg, delta = -30deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 35 km/s; r = 3.2; TFC: alpha= 255deg - 000deg, delta = 00deg - +15deg, choose pairs separated by about 30deg in alpha (beta < 30deg N). Southern delta-Aquarids ----------------------- Active: July 12-August 19; Maximum: July 27, 18h UT (lambda = 125deg); ZHR = 20; Radiant: alpha = 339deg, delta = -16deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 41 km/s; r = 3.2; TFC: alpha= 255deg - 000deg, delta = 00deg - +15deg, choose pairs separated by about 30deg in alpha (beta < 40deg N). alpha-Capricornids ------------------ Active: July 3-August 15; Maximum: July 29 (lambda = 127deg); ZHR = 4; Radiant: alpha = 307deg, delta = -10deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 23 km/s; r = 2.5; TFC: alpha = 255deg - 000deg, delta = 00deg - +15deg, choose pairs separated by about 30deg in alpha (beta < 40deg N); PFC: alpha = 300deg, delta = +10deg (beta > 40deg N), alpha = 320deg, delta = -05deg (beta = 0deg - 45deg N), alpha = 300deg, delta = -25deg (beta < 0deg). Southern iota-Aquarids ---------------------- Active: July 25-August 15; Maximum: August 4 (lambda = 132deg); ZHR = 2; Radiant: alpha = 334deg, delta = -15deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 34 km/s; r = 2.9; TFC: alpha = 255deg - 000deg, delta = 00deg - +15deg, choose pairs separated by about 30deg in alpha (beta < 30deg N). Northern delta-Aquarids ----------------------- Active: July 15-August 25; Maximum: August 8 (lambda = 136deg); ZHR = 4; Radiant: alpha = 335deg, delta = -05deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 42 km/s; r = 3.4; TFC: alpha = 255deg - 000deg, delta = 00deg - +15deg, choose pairs separated by about 30deg in alpha (beta < 30deg N). The Aquarids and Piscis Austrinids are all streams rich in faint meteors, making them well-suited to telescopic work, although enough brighter members exist to make visual and photographic observations worth the effort too, primarily from more southerly sites. Radio work can be used to pick up the Southern delta-Aquarids especially, as the most active of these showers. The alpha-Capricornids are noted for their bright - sometimes fireball-class - events, which, combined with their low apparent velocity, can make some of these objects among the most impressive and attractive an observer could wish for. A minor enhancement of alpha-Capricornid ZHRs to around 10 was noted in 1995 by European IMO observers, although the Southern delta-Aquarids were the only one of these streams previously suspected of occasional variability. Such a concentration of radiants in a small area of sky means that familiarity with where all the radiants are is essential for accurate shower association for all observing nights. Visual watchers in particular should plot all potential stream members seen in this region of sky rather than trying to make shower associations in the field. The only exception is when the Southern delta-Aquarids are near their peak, as from southern hemisphere sites in particular, rates may become too high for accurate plotting. In 2000 the Piscis Austrinid, Southern delta-Aquarid, alpha-Capricornid and Northern iota-Aquarid maxima benefit from new Moon on July 31, while the Northern delta-Aquarid peak has only a few problems from the waxing gibbous Moon, which will set between 23h and 01h30m local time in either hemisphere. All these radiants are above the horizon for much of the night. alpha- and delta-Aurigids ------------------------- alpha-Aurigids -------------- Active: August 25-September 5; Maximum: August 31, 18h UT (lambda = 158.6deg); ZHR = 10; Radiant: alpha = 084deg, delta = +42deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 66 km/s; r = 2.5; TFC: alpha = 052deg, delta = +60deg; alpha = 043deg, delta = +39deg and alpha = 023deg, delta = +41deg (beta > 10deg S). delta-Aurigids -------------- Active: September 5-October 10; Maximum: September 8 (lambda = 166deg); ZHR = 6; Radiant: alpha = 060deg, delta = +47deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 64 km/s; r = 3.0; TFC: alpha = 052deg, delta = +60deg; alpha = 043deg, delta = +39deg and alpha = 023deg, delta = +41deg (beta > 10deg S). These are both essentially northern hemisphere showers, badly in need of more observations. They are part of a series of poorly-observed showers with radiants in Aries, Perseus, Cassiopeia and Auriga, active from late August into October. British and Italian observers independently reported a possible new radiant in Aries during late August 1997 for example. Of the known showers, the alpha-Aurigids are the more active, with short unexpected bursts having given EZHRs of around 30-40 in 1935, 1986 and 1994, although they have not been monitored regularly until very recently, so other outbursts may have been missed. The delta-Aurigids typically produce low rates of generally faint meteors, and have yet to be well-seen in more than an occasional year. Both radiants reach a useful elevation only after 23h-00h local time, meaning lunar circumstances are near perfect for the alpha-Aurigid peak in 2000, with new Moon on August 29, while the delta-Aurigids enjoy dark skies after moonset (between 00h-01h local time north of 20deg N latitude). Telescopic data to examine all the radiants in this region of sky - and possibly observe the telescopic beta-Cassiopeids simultaneously - would be especially valuable, but photographs, video records and visual plotting would be welcomed too. October to December ------------------- Ecliptical minor shower activity reaches what might be regarded as a peak in early to mid November, with the Taurid streams in action. Unfortunately, both Northern and Southern Taurid maxima suffer from bright moonlight this year, but the interesting late October to early November period which sometimes produces more Taurid fireballs is excellently Moon-free. Taurid activity in late October 1998 reached levels comparable to the usual maximum rates, and checking what happens this year would be valuable, though nothing unusual has been predicted. Before then is a partly moonless Draconid epoch, together with badly Moon- affected epsilon-Geminid and Orionid maxima, all in October. The main Orionid peak is likely around 02h-03h UT on October 21 for radio observers. Some predictions suggest a Leonid storm may occur in November, but moonlight will be a problem. However, the alpha-Monocerotid peak is nearly Moon-free, together with the chi-Orionids in December. Shower maxima lost to moonlight in December include those of the Phoenicids (December 6 around 02h UT), early December's best from the Puppid-Velids, the Monocerotids (December 8), sigma-Hydrids (December 11), Geminids (December 13, 17h UT to December 14, 02h UT) and Coma Berenicids (December 19). The Ursids at least survive this lunar-light onslaught. Draconids --------- Active: October 6-10; Maximum: October 8, 01h30m UT (lambda = 195.075deg) or around October 8, 09h UT (lambda = 195.4deg); ZHR = periodic, up to storm levels; Radiant: alpha = 262deg, delta = +54deg, Radiant drift: negligible; V = 20 km/s; r = 2.6; TFC: alpha = 290deg, delta = +65deg and alpha = 288deg, delta = +39deg (beta > 30deg N). Unfortunately for potential Draconid observers, although this periodic shower has produced spectacular, brief, meteor storms twice already this century, in 1933 and 1946, and lower rates in several other years (ZHRs around 20-500+), so far, detectable activity has only been seen in years when the stream's parent comet, 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, has returned to perihelion. It did this last in 1998 November, and in 1998 October, a short-lived Draconid outburst yielding ZHRs of around 700 was seen from Far Eastern sites, as well as being recorded by radio. This occurred at lambda = 195.075deg, but a later time towards lambda = 195.4deg may be more generally applicable, based on the Earth's closest approach to the comet orbit's node. Activity in 2000 is unlikely, and conditions are far from ideal with a waxing gibbous Moon, but checking is important. The radiant is circumpolar from many northern hemisphere locations, but is higher in the pre-midnight and near-dawn hours on October 8-10. With moonset only after local midnight, a repeat of the 1998 peak time would favour sites in central to eastern North America, while the later time would be better for European to West Asian observers. Note that Draconid meteors are exceptionally slow-moving, a characteristic which helps separate genuine shower meteors from sporadics accidentally lining up with the radiant. Leonids ------- Active: November 14-21; Maximum: November 17, 08h UT (lambda = 235.27deg); ZHR = 100+ (around 150? in 1997, around 340 in 1998), but may reach storm level in 2000; Radiant: alpha = 153deg, delta = +22deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 71 km/s; r = 2.9; TFC: alpha = 140deg, delta = +35deg and alpha = 129deg, delta = +06deg (beta > 35deg N); or alpha = 156deg, delta = -03deg and alpha = 129deg, delta = +06deg (beta < 35deg N). PFC: alpha = 120deg, delta = +40deg before 00h local time (beta > 40deg N); alpha = 120deg, delta = +20deg before 04h local time and alpha = 160deg, delta = 00deg after 04h local time (beta > 00deg~N); alpha = 120deg, delta = +10deg before 00h local time and alpha = 160deg, delta = -10deg (beta < 0deg N). The Leonids' parent comet, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, reached perihelion last in 1998 February, but recent stream evolution studies suggest high to storm- level Leonid activity may still occur in 2000 or even until 2002. There are, of course, no guarantees that this will happen, but all observers must realise that even discovering the absence of any unusual Leonid activity would still be very valuable information --- albeit not all that interesting to witness! Young material from the most recent, i.e. the 1965 and 1932 perihelion passages of the comet, is likely to cause enhanced activity near closest approach to the comet's node on November 17, 08h UT (lambda = 235.27deg), as also indicated by the stream model developed by Peter Brown, but the model finds an older trail from 1733 suggesting a peak as late as November 18, 08h UT. This finding is supported by the studies of David Asher and Robert McNaught yielding November 18, 03h45m for the 1733 trail and another possible peak at 07h50m for the 1866 trail. A repeat of the spectacular and extended fireball outburst seen in 1998 is regrettably unlikely this year. The radiant rises only around local midnight (or indeed afterwards south of the equator), so the waning gibbous Moon will be a considerable nuisance for all observers. The two around 08h UT peak timings would favor locations across North America, while the 03h45m possible peak would be best-seen from Europe and North Africa. Even minor variations from these timings would mean places east or west of these zones may see something of the shower's best too. Look out for further updates in the IMO's journal WGN after the 1999 return. All observing methods should be utilised, especially photography and video if a storm manifests. alpha-Monocerotids ------------------ Active: November 15-25; Maximum: November 21, 08h UT (lambda = 239.32deg); ZHR = variable, usually 5, but may produce outbursts to 400+; Radiant: alpha = 117deg, delta = +01deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 65 km/s; r = 2.4; TFC: alpha = 115deg, delta = +23deg and alpha = 129deg, delta = +20deg (beta > 20deg N); or alpha = 110deg, delta = -27deg and alpha = 098deg, delta = +06deg (beta < 20deg N). Another late-year shower capable of producing surprises, the alpha- Monocerotids gave their most recent brief outburst in 1995 (the top EZHR, around 420, lasted just five minutes; the entire outburst 30 minutes). Many observers across Europe witnessed it, and we have been able to completely update the known shower parameters as a result. Whether this indicates the proposed ten-year periodicity in such returns is real or not, only the future will tell, however, so all observers should continue to monitor this source closely. We are currently at the mid-point of any decade-long cycle. The waning crescent Moon on November 21 makes this a good year for such scrutiny, with the radiant well on view in both hemispheres after about 23h local time or so. The expected peak time falls especially well for North America. chi-Orionids ------------ Active: November 26-December 15; Maximum: December 1 (lambda = 250deg); ZHR = 3; Radiant: alpha = 082deg, delta= +23deg, Radiant drift: see Table 6; V = 28 km/s; r = 3.0; TFC: alpha = 083deg, delta= +09deg and alpha = 080deg, delta= +24deg (beta > 30deg S). A weak visual stream, but moderately active telescopically. Some brighter meteors have been photographed too. The shower has at least a double radiant, but the southern branch has been rarely detected. The chi-Orionids may be a continuation of the ecliptic complex after the Taurids cease to be active. The radiant used here is a combined one, suitable for visual work, although telescopic or video observations should be better-able to determine the exact radiant structure. The waxing crescent Moon should give few problems, as the radiant is well on display in both hemispheres throughout the night. Ursids ------- Active: December 17-26; Maxi