LEONIDS STORM THE PLANET!
-------------------------
John Pazmino
NYSkies Astronomy Inc
www.nyskies.org
nyskies@nyskies.org
1999 December 18
[This article is lightly edited from the original. The date is
nominally set at one month after the peak of the Leonids of
November 1999.]
The Leonid meteor storm struck Earth rather much at the hour
predicted by a variety of meteor shower models. The peak occurred at
1999 November 18 02:10 UT, give or take a couple minutes. The storm
threw down some 4,000 meteors per hour for a 60 minute period centered
on the peak moment.
This moment favored observers in Europe, Middle East, and Africa.
By the time the United States rotated to face into the shower, the
storm was over. We in the City and surrounds saw a good, but not at
all spectacular, meteor shower. Most compared it to a normal Perseid
or Geminid display.
Reports are, well, storming into EYEPIECE. Like I did last year
[EP 99 Jan] I compiled a table of the reports. This time I arranged
them by longitude band and hour of UT to show the rise and fall of
the activity. To save space I use the ISO country code, the same as
the last field of an overseas Internet domain name. Within the US
I include also the state code.
Please note that the period of viewing may consist of several
sessions with breaks between them. It is not always one continuous
session. The rates per hour -- minute!, second!! -- and total meteors
are utterly unnormalized. They may be a sum for several observers, seen
thru bright or cloudy skies, or captured within a limited sky exposure.
About 100 of our own members made the effort to see the Leonids
by an assortment of means. These ranged from elaborate excursions
to overseas locations to leaning out an apartment window. But all did
agree that by our own early morning on the 18th of November the show
wa all over.
What everyone who viewed from in or near the City commented on
was the clarity of the sky. From the outer boros transparency was 4-1/2
to 5th magnitude. Manhattan got 4-1/2. Many of you looked for the
Milky Way. None was seen. This is likely due to the bright Moon in the
evening that blocked the summer Milky Way and the very much weaker
winter Milky Way in the morning hours.
On the other hand, those viewing from waterfront locations pointed
out that the air was moist, dewy, humid. The stars were softened and
the Milky Way (from a darksky site) was weak and diffuse.
Several remarked on the dazzling brilliance of Venus, which rose at
about 03h. Yes, the mother was so bright it actually annoyed some
observers, who had to block it from view behind a bush or fence. One
person so far noted that Venus did show shadows of his hand and pen
thrown on a white notepad.
Some noted the curious coincidence that the Moon and Venus showed
just about the same phase on the morning of the 18th. This was, in
lunar terms, one day past first quarter.
Most who were stationed outdoors exploited the clear skies with
until Leo was high enough to begin the Leonid vigil. You commented on
the number of deepsky objects discernible from the City by eye or
binoculars, far more than on a normal night. You also pointed out how
steady the air was; images were sharp and hard. This may be from the
virtual lack of all wind or even a breeze during the entire night.
I have to say it again and again. If you missed out any vital fact
in your report, it's not shown here! Huh? Well, you left out your
viewing location ('fairground near the college' can fit several hundred
towns in the country), the actual date (what does 'yesterday night' mean?),
or -- I kid you not! -- your very name (who's 'idunno@facelass.com'?).
UT hour observer location comments
------- -------- -------- --------
Nov 16
======
evening John Borch Hommersaak NO most cldy, sev/hr
20:00-21:30 Richard Hendricks Austin TX US 4 Leon, 1 other
21:00-03:30 Luca D'Avino central Serbia 2 Leon, many other
Nov 17
======
lon = 105 W
-----------
06:30-07:00 John Rehling Indiana U, IN US 4 Leon, 1 other
08:00-09:00 Richard Hendricks Austin TX US 4 Leon
10:30-dawn J Fuller Louisburg KS US nothing
23:55-07:00 Richard Gilder northeast TX US 6 meteors
lon = 75d W
-----------
03:00-08:30 Leonard Marovelli central MA US 48 meteors
03:15-04:30 Vinny Langeldata central NJ US 2 Leon
05:30-09:30 Jim McSheehy northeast GA US ~10/h
06:18-07:17 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 5 Leon, 13 other
06:40-08:00 Sebastian Deiries ESO, La Silla CL 6 Leon 11 other
07:18-08:17 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 6 Leon, 9 other
08:38-10:12 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 19 Leon, 11 other
lon = 15d E
-----------
01:00-03:00 John Borch Hommersaak NO many meteors
22:00-00:45 Petros Sampatakos Athens GR 3 meteros
lon = 30d E
-----------
21:00-03:00 Yuri Ralchenko Latrum IL 2/sec
Nov 18
======
lon = 150d W
------------
07:30-09:30 Kevin G. Anderson Fairbanks AK US 3 meteors
lon = 120d W
------------
03:00-08:00 R Braddy &a Las Vegas NV US 1 Leon
04:00-10:00 Dave Majors Ft H Ligget CA US part cldy, 2 Leon
07:50-08:30 Stephen Miller Camino CA US part cldy, 1 Leon
08:00-10:30 Palle Strom northern CA US nothing
08:00-13:00 Curtis Croulet & 5 Temecula CA US part cldy, many meteors
08:30-09:30 R Braddy Las Vegas NV US 20 Leon, 2 other
08:50-09:40 Julius 'S' Pleasanton CA US 1 Leon
09:00-10:30 Dwight Roberts San Diego CA US 4 Leon
09:00-13:30 Kevin Smiith & 1 Death Vy CA US 239 Leon, 40 other
10:00-11:00 Brad Hall Provo UT US 35 meteors
10:30-11:00 R Braddy Las Vegas NV US 5 Leon
11:10-11:15 Mark Hanning-Lee Tustin CA US part cldy, nothing
lon = 105d W
------------
00:00-dawn J Fuller & 4 Louisburg KS US ~100 meteros
05:30-07:00 Fred Burger Houston TX US 1 meteor
05:30-07:30 Jesse Lambeth Dallas TX US 6 Leon, 2 other
06:00-09:00 David Knisely Prairie A C, NE US 40-60/hr
06:15-08:15 Rich Chillingworth Tulsa OK US 13 Leon, 9 other
06:30-09:00 Raymond Irwin Tulsa OK US 6 Leon, 1 other
06:30-09:30 Mark Doiron & 5 McCloud OK US 67 meteors
06:45-08:15 Bob May Yoakum TX US 19 Leon, 3 other
08:00-09:00 Richard Hendricks Austin TX US 15 Leon, 3 other
09:30-12:30 Alan Bland Boulder CO US ~12 meteors
10:00-10:10 James Oberg Galveston TX US 1 meteor
10:00-12:15 Tim Chambers Monument CO US ~30/h
lon = 90d W
-----------
00:30-06:00 Douglass Benson central MI US nothing
02:00-08:00 Joe Alessandrini South Lynn MI US 2 Leon
03:30-04:30 Mark Fadale southeast IA US nothing
04:00-06:20 Dennis McGlasson St Louis MO US 4 Leon
05:00-10:00 Valentine Germann Cent Mo A A MO US few meteors
06:40-07:40 Dustin Smith Waterloo AL US 1 Leon, 1 other
06:45-07:00 John Rehling Indiana U, IN US 12 Leon
07:00-09:30 Richard Brenz Cadillac MI US 70 meteors
07:00-10:00 Stan Jensen Grand Rapids MI US most cldy, 14 Leon, 5 other
07:10-08:10 Larry Nelson Cedar Rapids IA US 9 Leon, 4 other
11:15-11:20 Dan Chaffee Kansas City MO US 5 meteors
lon = 75d W
-----------
01:00-02:00 Vinny Langeldata central NJ US nothing
01:00-06:00 Dennis Ferguson Pine Hill NY US part cldy, ~10 Leon
03:00-04:30 Vinny Langeldata central NJ US nothing
03:00-08:30 Ronald Marovelli Norton MA US 48 meteors
04:00-04:15 Cathy James Raleigh NC US nothing
04:00-05:30 Jesse Pritts Washington DC US 5 meteors
04:00-08:00 Philip Neidlinger &a Ft Pulaski GA US 70 meteors
04:00-09:40 Jeffrey Nutkowitz Atco NJ US ~20/h
04:15-06:00 Rudy Taraschi & 2 Montreal QC part cldy, 2 Leon, 2 other
05:00-10:00 D Greenberg & 2 Mt Kisco NY US few Leon
05:00-10:00 Robert Little Orient Pt LI US few Leon
05:00-10:00 Bruce Kamniat & 5 Fahnestock S P NY US ~40/h
05:15-05:45 Tony Flanders Albany NY US most cldy, ~8 Leon
05:30-05:45 Peter Everett Boston MA US 1 Leon, 1 other
05:30-06:15 Tracy Miller Nashville TN US 1 Leon
05:30-09:30 Jim McSheehy northeast GA US ~10/h
05:30-dawn Jerry Lodriguss Batsto NJ US few meteors
05:40-06:39 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 15 Leon, 4 other
06:00-07:00 John Sabia northeast PA US 17 Leon
06:00-07:30 Lon Dittrick & 5 northeast OH US 5/h
06:00-10:45 Thomas Kunsitis & 10 Richmond VA US ~12/h
06:16-08:26 Sebastian Deiries ESO, LaSilla CL 43 Leon, 31 other
06:40-07:39 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 19 Leon, 5 other
07:00 Stece Baker Moosonee ON CA 19/h
07:00-07:30 Jude Miller Hingham MA US 1 Leon, 2 other
07:00-08:00 Lon Dittrick & 4 northeast OH US 8/h
07:00-08:00 Tom & Bev Whiting Erie PA US ~150/h
07:00-08:00 Tony Flanders Albany NY US most cldy, 2 Leon
07:00-07:25 John Pazmino Amagansett LI US ~32 Leon, 1 other
07:30-08:00 John Pazmino Amagansett LI US ~11 Leon
07:55-08:54 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 37 Leon, 2 other
08:00-08:45 Richard Blackburn Smyrna GA US 3 meteors
08:00-09:00 Lon Dittrick & 4 northeast OH US 11/h
08:00-dawn Tom & Bev Whiting Erie PA US ~40/h
08:15-08:45 John Pazmino Amagansett LI US part cldy, ~6 Leon
08:15-08:45 John Savia northeast PA US 22 Leon
08:30-09:30 Chris VIllone Rochester NY US part cldy, 41 meteors
08:55-09:54 Gregg Pasterick Adams Co, OH US 36 Leon, 3 other
09:00-09:45 John Pazmino Amagansett LI US part cldy, ~6 Leon
09:00-10:00 Lon Dittrick & 4 northeast OH US 23/h
09:00-10:00 Douglas White Taneytown MD US 22 Leon, 1 other
09:55-10:35 Mark Pippin Palm Bat FL US part cldy, 14 meteors
10:00-10:30 John Pazmino Amagansett LI US ~25 Leon
10:00-11:00 Lon Dittrick & 4 northeast OH US 9/h
10:30-10:35 Cathy James Raleigh NC US 4 meteors
10:30-11:00 Bll Barksdl Atlanta GA US 1 Leon, 1 other
lon = 15d W
-----------
00:20-02:00 Paulo Almeida & 12 Lisbon PT ~2,500 meteors
lon = 0d
--------
00:30-01:00 Bertrand vanWonderen in Netherlands most cldy, 3/h
01:00-01:30 Sylvia Wrigley in Spain nothing
01:30-02:30 David Hugill Madrid ES 10-20/min
01:45-02:00 Erwin vanderVelden Valuwe NL 40/min
01:45-02:15 Jay Pasachoff & 2 El Saler ES 12/min
02:15-05:35 Tony Williams & 1 Giggleswick UK ~50/h
03:10-03:15 Bertrand vanWonderen in Netherlands most cldy. 5 meteors
lon - 15d E
-----------
00:00-01:00 John Borch Hommersaak NO most cldy, 7 meteors
00:45-03:30 Philippe Mollet Grimbergen BE ~150 meteors
01:00-02:30 Jan Buyle Aaist BE part cldy, 275 Leon
01:37-02:15 Volker Kasten Garbsen DE part cldy, 113 Leon
02:00 Eric Jensen Trondheim NO sev/sec.
02:15-dawn AIRA airplane Mediterranean Sea ~2.200/he
04:00-04:30 Ivica Skokic in Croatia 25 meteors
07:15-07:20 John Borch Hommersaak NO part cldy, 1 meteor
lon - 30d E
-----------
00:00-01:30 Berto Monard Pretoria ZA most cldy, 40-60/h
01:00-02:52 Marvin Sherebrin Karmiel IL sev/sec, pk at 02:15
01:15-02:05 John Mason &a Sharm El Sheikh EG ~8/min
01:45-02:25 Dave Gordon Petersburg ZA most cldy, 197 meteors
02:00-02:05 John Mason & BAA Sharm El Sheikh EG ~50/min
02:00-02:10 Joe King in Israel 3/sec
lon - 60d E
-----------
01:50 Mr Babak Teharan IR part cldy, 2,000-2,500/hr
lon = 120d E
------------
14:00-14:15 Philip Williams Perth AU nothing
lon = 135d E
------------
16:00-17:00 Margaret Grogan Toruss Head AU 40 Leon
And there were reports of cloud or rain outs:
CANADA - Toronto
ENGLAND - most of country
FRANCE - most of country
GERMANY - most of country
LUXEMBOURG - whole country
NEW YORK - western part of state
SINGAPORE - whole country
SWEDEN - Stockholm
SOUTH AFRICA - Port Elizabeth
YUGOSLAVIA - Belgrade