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Fireball - The Ultimate Natural Firework


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Hi all,

Was hoping to get out with the scope tonight and things looked promising early on. But cloud rolled in around 9pm and that was followed by rain just before 10pm. Decided to poke my head back out at 11pm to find a part clear sky. Even without dark adaption could tell straight away this was no ordinary clear sky. Transparency was an easy 8-9 out of 10. The stars literally stood out like diamonds (twinkling madly mind, so perhaps not too steady). The sky was black. Mars to the naked eye is mesmerising, massively bright (only eclipsed for brightness by Venus earlier). M45 also stood out like a sore thumb.

But the highlight occured at 23:04 (by my watch). And while i was staring at M45. A beautiful slow moving meteor. Originated from Hyades and then passed through M45. It was so bright that Mars briefly became the second brightest object in the sky. This was the second best meteor i've ever seen, the best one was an exploding fireball i saw at the 1988 Astro Camp in Ashdown Forest.

Did anyone else see it? I know the Taurids are in full flow right now and this was a Taurid! I counted 17 of them last night between 00.30 and 01.30. And that's without trying. They certainly have the beating of the Persieds this year.

Russ

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Thanks for the wonderfull report Russ reminds me why i used to observe so much before Imaging. Clouded out here so no chance of sitting down and counting meteors.

Glad you out and about with ya observing Russ wish i was there :clouds1:

James

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Hi russ

Good to see you settled and out again!

I missed that one!! Saw a couple of small ones (thread in Lounge), but this sounds like a corker. Have a feeling I was packing up around this time - tired now after my early morning session!

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