Lunsford Meteors and How to Observe Them

1. Auflage 2009
ISBN: 978-0-387-09461-8
Verlag: Springer
Format: PDF
Kopierschutz: 1 - PDF Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 192 Seiten

Reihe: Astronomers' Observing Guides

In this era of high-tech instruments, meteor observing is the one facet of astr- omy that needs nothing more than your naked eye. Meteors can be easily seen without the aid of cameras, binoculars, or telescopes. Just ? nd a comfortable chair and lie back and watch for the surprises that await high above you. It is a great way to involve the family in science where everyone is active at the same time, not wa- ing to take turns at the eyepiece. The kids especially enjoy the hunt for 'shooting stars,' oohing and ahing at each streak of light that crosses the sky. While gazing upwards, it is also a great way to get more familiar with the sky by learning the constellations and seeing if you can see the warrior among the stars of Orion or the scorpion among the stars of Scorpius. Until just recently, one could simply go outside and watch for meteors from his or her yard. Unfortunately, humankind's fear of the dark and the widespread use of lighting as advertisement have lit the nighttime scene in urban areas so that only the brightest stars are visible. Serious meteor observing under such conditions is nearly impossible as the more numerous faint meteors are now lost in the glare of urban skies. Today, a serious meteor observing session entails organizing an outing to a country site where the stars can be seen in all their glory and meteors of all magnitudes can be viewed.

Robert Lunsford has had forty years experience viewing meteors and meteor showers, and is a memberv of the American Meteor Society (AMS) and the International Meteor Organization (IMO).

Autoren/Hrsg.

Lunsford, Robert

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1;Preface;6
2;Acknowledgements;7
3;Contents;8
4;About the Author;12
5;Chapter 1;13
5.1;An Introduction to Meteorics;13
5.1.1;1.1 Meteoroids in Space;13
5.1.2;1.2 Meteors Entering Earth’s Atmosphere;14
5.1.3;1.3 Meteorites Reaching Earth’s Surface;14
5.2;References;14
6;Chapter 2;15
6.1;Sporadic Meteors;15
6.1.1;2.1 Random Meteors;15
6.1.2;2.2 Antihelion Meteors;18
6.1.3;2.3 Helion Meteors;20
6.1.4;2.4 Apex Meteors;20
6.1.5;2.5 Antiapex Meteors;21
6.1.6;2.6 Toroidal Meteors;22
6.2;References;22
7;Chapter 3;23
7.1;Major Annual Showers;23
7.1.1;3.1 Quadrantids (QUA) #10;24
7.1.2;3.2 Lyrids (LYR) #6;30
7.1.3;3.3 eta Aquariids (ETA) #31;31
7.1.4;3.4 delta Aquariids (SDA) #5;43
7.1.5;3.5 Perseids (PER) #7;44
7.1.6;3.6 Orionids (ORI) #8;56
7.1.7;3.7 Leonids (LEO) #13;63
7.1.8;3.8 Geminids (GEM) #4;70
7.1.9;3.9 Ursids (URS) #15;77
7.2;References;83
8;Chapter 4;84
8.1;Minor Annual Showers;84
8.1.1;4.1 alpha Centaurids (ACE) #102;85
8.1.2;4.2 delta Leonids (DLE) #29;86
8.1.3;4.3 gamma Normids (GNO) #118;87
8.1.4;4.4 eta Lyrids (ELY) #145;89
8.1.5;4.5 alpha Capricornids (CAP) #1;90
8.1.6;4.6 Piscis Austrinids (PAU) #183;92
8.1.7;4.7 k Cygnids (KCG) #12;93
8.1.8;4.8 Aurigids (AUR) #206;94
8.1.9;4.9 September Perseids (SPE) #208;96
8.1.10;4.10 delta Aurigids (DAU) #224;97
8.1.11;4.11 epsilon Geminids (EGE) #23;98
8.1.12;4.12 Leo Minorids (LMI) #22;100
8.1.13;4.13 Northern and Southern Taurids;101
8.1.13.1;4.13.1 Southern Taurids (STA) #2;101
8.1.13.2;4.13.2 Northern Taurids (NTA) #17;101
8.1.14;4.14 Puppid-Velids (PUP) #255;103
8.1.15;4.15 Monocerotids (MON) #19;105
8.1.16;4.16 sigma Hydrids (HYD) #16;106
8.1.17;4.17 Coma Berenicids (COM) #20;108
8.2;References;109
9;Chapter 5;110
9.1;Variable Showers;110
9.1.1;5.1 alpha Pyxidids (APX) #122;111
9.1.2;5.2 pi Puppids (PPU) #137;112
9.1.3;5.3 Tau Herculids (THE) #61;113
9.1.4;5.4 alpha Circinids (ACI) #162;115
9.1.5;5.5 gamma Delphinids (GDE) #65;116
9.1.6;5.6 June Bootids (JBO) #170;117
9.1.7;5.7 beta Hydrusids (BHY) #198;118
9.1.8;5.8 Draconids or Giacobinids (GIA) #9;119
9.1.9;5.9 Andromedids (AND) #18;121
9.1.10;5.10 alpha Monocerotids (AMO) #246;122
9.1.11;5.11 Phoenicids (PHO) #254;123
9.2;References;124
10;Chapter 6;125
10.1;Daytime Showers;125
10.1.1;6.1 Capricornids/Sagittariids (DCS) #115;125
10.1.2;6.2 chi Capricornids (DXC) #114;126
10.1.3;6.3 April Piscids (APS) #144;126
10.1.4;6.4 delta Piscids;126
10.1.5;6.5 epsilon Arietids (DEA) #154;127
10.1.6;6.6 May Arietids (DMA) #294;127
10.1.7;6.7 omic Cetids;127
10.1.8;6.8 Arietids (DAR) #171;128
10.1.9;6.9 zeta Perseids (ZPE) #172;128
10.1.10;6.10 beta Taurids (BTA) #173;129
10.1.11;6.11 gamma Leonids (GLE) #203;129
10.1.12;6.12 Sextantids (DSX) #221;129
10.2;References;130
11;Chapter 7;131
11.1;New Showers?;131
11.1.1;7.1 January Leonids (JLE) #319;132
11.1.2;7.2 alpha Hydrids (AHY) #331;133
11.1.3;7.3 February Sextantids (FSX);134
11.1.4;7.4 April Draconids (APD);135
11.1.5;7.5 North June Aquilids (NZC) #164;136
11.1.6;7.6 beta Aquariids (BAQ);137
11.1.7;7.7 August Capricornids (AUC);138
11.1.8;7.8 epsilon Cassiopeiids (ECS);139
11.1.9;7.9 August Draconids (AUD) #197;140
11.1.10;7.10 September Ursa Minorids (SUM);141
11.1.11;7.11 Southern September Lyncids (SSL);142
11.1.12;7.12 Northern September Lyncids (NSL);143
11.1.13;7.13 September alpha Orionids (AOR) #211;144
11.1.14;7.14 October Camelopardalids (OCT);145
11.1.15;7.15 epsilon Ursa Minorids (EUR);146
11.1.16;7.16 tau Ursa Majorids (TUM);146
11.1.17;7.17 Zeta Cancrids (ZCN) #243;147
11.1.18;7.18 November Orionids (NOO) #250;148
11.1.19;7.19 epsilon Virginids (EVR);149
11.2;References;149
12;Chapter 8;150
12.1;Observing Meteor Showers;150
12.1.1;8.1 Basic Visual Observations;151
12.1.2;8.2 Intermediate Visual Observations;154
12.1.3;8.3 Advanced Visual Observations;157
12.1.4;8.4 Plotting Meteors;159
12.1.5;8.5 Using a Cassette Recorder;160
12.1.6;8.6 Visual Observing Forms;161
12.1.7;8.7 When to Observe;161
12.1.8;8.8 Where to Observe;166
12.1.9;8.9 Equipment;166
12.1.10;8.10 Telescopic Observations;167
12.1.11;8.11 Photographic Observations;168
12.1.12;8.12 Video Observations;170
12.1.13;8.13 Radio Observations;172
12.1.14;8.14 Fireball Observations;173
12.2;References;175
13;Chapter 9;176
13.1;Meteor Activity Throughout the Year;176
13.1.1;9.1 January Activity;176
13.1.2;9.2 February Activity;177
13.1.3;9.3 March Activity;178
13.1.4;9.4 April Activity;179
13.1.5;9.5 May Activity;181
13.1.6;9.6 June Activity;182
13.1.7;9.7 July Activity;183
13.1.8;9.8 August Activity;184
13.1.9;9.9 September Activity;185
13.1.10;9.10 October Activity;186
13.1.11;9.11 November Activity;187
13.1.12;9.12 December Activity;187
14;Chapter 10;189
14.1;Meteor Groups and Organizations;189
14.1.1;10.1 American Meteor Society;189
14.1.2;10.2 Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers Meteors Section;190
14.1.3;10.3 Arbeitskreis Meteore e.V. (AKM);190
14.1.4;10.4 Astronomical Society Ursa Meteor Section;190
14.1.5;10.5 British Astronomical Association Meteor Section;190
14.1.6;10.6 Dutch Meteor Society (DMS);190
14.1.7;10.7 International Astronomical Union Commission 22;190
14.1.8;10.8 International Meteor Organization;191
14.1.9;10.9 MBK Team;191
14.1.10;10.10 Meteorobs;191
14.1.11;10.11 Nippon Meteor Society;191
14.1.12;10.12 North American Meteor Network (NAMN);191
14.1.13;10.13 Pracownia Komet i Meteorów;192
14.1.14;10.14 Radio Meteor Observers Bulletin;192
14.1.15;10.15 Sociedad de Observadores de Meteoros y Cometas de España (SOMYCE);192
14.1.16;10.16 Spanish Photographic Meteor Network (SPMN);192
14.1.17;10.17 The Society for Popular Astronomy Meteor Section;192
14.1.18;10.18 Unione Astrofi li Italiani Sezione Meteore;193
15;Glossary of Terms;194
16;Index;197