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