[meteorite-list] Leonids

From: Dave <Dave_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:47:12 2004
Message-ID: <004601c171d8$0d252fa0$f1cf7cd1_at_dave>

I'm glad so many listees had the chance to enjoy the Leonids! It was a
great show!

My son and I drove about three hours from our home in south central
Louisiana to a site more likely to be dark. We saw about 700-750 meteors
apiece under skies with a limiting magnitude of about 5.8, with peak rates
of about 120 seen in 15 minutes. That held for about 45 minutes or so. We
didn't get the show that some people are reporting, but it was still more
than worth the drive. Taking conditions into account, the derived ZHR must
have just about been storm level. There were a lot of fireballs brighter
than Venus, including one that was the brightest meteor I've ever
seen --judging by the lighting of the ground and the shadows, it was far
brighter than the full moon. I know I could have read by it!

It was my son's first meteor shower, so I supposed he's spoiled for good
now.

Dave Hostetter
Received on Tue 20 Nov 2001 10:28:47 AM PST