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A REPORT OF
'98LEONID METEOR SHOWER
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Meteor shower is a special astronomical phenomenon
that many meteors look rushing out and dropping down from one point on the
night sky. The point is called Radiant. Normally we named the meteor shower
by the constellation name, which the Radiant is in, for example the Leonid
Meteor Shower. The other famous regular meteor showers have been found in
the history are Aquarii, Geminorum, Orionis, Persei, Tauri. And so on.
Astronomers believe that the materials of meteor come from some periodic
comet, because of the earth gravitation, they rush into the aerosphere. To
observe meteor shower is a seldom chance to study and popularize the
astronomy.
The Leo is one of the twelve signs in the zodiac. The astronomers had a
prediction that there would be a meteor pour (MP) in the Leo, and the MP
would happen at about 2am November 18th 1998.The Radiant would be near the γLeo.
The Leonid Meteor Shower happens every year, usually there are 20 to 30
meteors in an hour .If the meteors are over 100 in an hour, and we call it
strong meteor shower. The Leonid MP appears once every 33 years .It usually
lasts several hours. In the MP you can see more than 1000 meteors each hour.
This is the first time in these recent two centuries that Chinese can
observe the MP. China is the best place for the observation in the earth
this time, and Peking is one of the four optimum places across China,
according to the prediction.
The Leonid Meteor Shower is associated with the Comet 1866Ⅰ. The comet
travels around its elliptical orbit in the Solar System. It revolves the sun
33 years a circle. Affected by the sun, the comet left countless
interplanetary dust in its orbit. When the earth meets the orbit, the dust
will fall into the air circle and the meteor shower happen. Every 33 years
the earth runs very close to the comet once. When the earth across the dense
dust gathering besides the comet, the MP will appear. The observation and
the research of the MP help the scientists to analyze the origin and the
evolution of the Solar System. It is an opportunity for both the astronomer
and the amateur. But with the perturbation of the Jupiter and the Saturn,
the exact time and the amount of the meteors are very hard to predict.
The Leonid MP was first recorded in 1799,and the ten brilliant MPs in
history were all from the Leo. The MP had happened three times in the past
200 years. November 13th 1833,the inhabitants of Boston encountered the
Leonid MP. It lasted 7 hours and about 240 thousand meteors flew across the
sky. Facing the spectacle, the inhabitants even thought it came to the end
of the world. 1866,there were nearly 6 thousand meteors an hour. Later in
that year, the astronomers discovered the Comet 1866Ⅰ by their mighty
telescope, and the period of the comet they calculated was similar to the
Leonid MP's. From then on the scientists believed that they had learned the
rule of the Leonid MP. But they were fooled in the next whole century.
1966,after so long a waiting, the Leonid MP finally came back again.
Astronomers counted about 15 thousand meteors in an hour. During 5:00am to
5:20am there were about 2500 meteors broke the night sky in a minute! This
year the Comet 1866Ⅰ's regression was observed, and the MP will happen in
China. It will last three hours or so and each hour thousands of meteors
will drop down, the astronomers said. For most of the meteors are as tiny as
fine sands, they burn up in the air and do no harm to the earth surface. But
they are deadly menace to the communicative satellites, spaceships and the
universe-stations.
I knew the prediction a year ago and longed to prove it. I have been in
high excitement this week. I told all my friends the prediction. Now the
time is 4:00pm November 17th,after class I drive to the XiZhiMen to hire a
Pearl-River camera, and buy a Kodak ISO400 film. Cold air swept into Peking
November 15th,the cold and strong wind blew away the dust in the air, and we
can see the blue sky and the stars again. To my surprised, the wind stops in
the midnight of November 18th.The God seems glad to help the amateurs. But
really?
11:00pm November 17th,I put my flashlight, star chart, pen, camera,
newspapers, gloves, lather coat in my bag, and then dress as much as I can.
A number of classmates come into my dormitory and ask me some questions
about the MP. Yang and Wen invite me to go with them. I find many amateurs
take their astronomical instruments with them to the Peking Observatory. As
there are too many people, I do not want to go there.
1:00am November 18th,there are about twenty observers on the top of the
19th block. I can see the Regulus (the star of royalty) and the γLeo through
the window. But I can see no meteor; I feel that there's something goes
wrong now. I listen to the radio, but there's nothing abnormal at all.
1:30am,I see a bright meteor while I am staring the γLeo. Now all the
stars in the Leo are visible except the βLeo, the MP hasn't come yet.
2:00am,the meteor shower (we shouldn't call it MP here) get heavier. A
crowd of people is standing side by side on the top of the 19th block.
Suddenly, a cheer burst the silence, I wake up Wen and we set out. For the
absence of the MP, I don't call Yang and Zhang. We climb down the 12th block
to the hall gate, but the eyeshot is too small there, so we walk to the
playground. I see 2 meteors before we get there. We find several happy
little girls crowd themselves out of the 9th block. There are at least 200
people in the playground, but most of them do not know where the Radiant is.
There is even a little telescope, but of course no one use it. Fortunately,
there happen to be others meteor showers from the Taurus and the Monoceros,
and there are also some accidental meteors, so people can see meteors here
and there. As there are too many observers and lights, we turn to our
"observatory". I see meteors twice in the road.
About 2:40am,we reach the meadow besides the library, here is nobody else
and little light, I take out my camera and ready to take photos. But there
are too few meteors and the range is so wide, I fail to have a picture for
the meteors .For that I miss several ones, then I give up the idea. Now all
the stars in the Leo can be seen clearly, the βLeo rise about 10 degrees
above the horizon, I can see the mysteries red planet--Mars too. It is very
chilly; the temperature is 8 degrees under zero. After I have observed 14
meteors, the meteor shower seems to stop, so we go back. Suddenly, I see two
bright meteors cheerfully drag their long and beautiful tails towards to the
horizon, their heads are obviously burning and blazing. The magnificent
picture astonishes me and I shall remember it forever. There are still many
amateurs standing there, against the cold wind, welcoming the angels. I hear
someone in the way back says: "I see only one meteor tonight! "Laughter
consequent upon his words.
Have my frozen body warmed, I look out of the window to continue my
observation. About 3:40am,another meteor touches me, and then no one
appears. Now go to bed is my best choice, we will have full day lessons...
I had seen 28 meteors in total, I estimate there were about 30 to 40
meteors per hour in this meteor shower. It cannot be call as a "pour", but a
light drizzle .We now know the correct time of the MP was 14 hours before
what the prediction stated! The great nature laughed at the prize human
beings again. Although the MP hadn't appeared, most of the amateurs were
happy enough. I made an appointment to the Leo: Next year, I will be right
here waiting for you!
Dec 2nd 1998 NJTU
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