Leonids 1996: Results

"Crash" teams Delphinus, Marc de Lignie & Jos Nijland



Team Delphinus observed the Leonids on 15/16 November in the utmost northwestern part of the Netherlands and found one of the last clear spots at that location
From left to right: Koen Miskotte, Marco Langbroek, Casper ter Kuile and Robert Haas with the Camper in the Background
Photo by Robert Haas



Team Delphinus announces successfull Leonid watch
Visual results of Marco Langbroek on 13/14 and 14/15 November
Visual results of Marco Langbroek on 15/16 November
Visual results of Koen Miskotte on 15/16 November
Visual results of Koen Miskotte on 16/17 November
Leonid visual results: ZHR- and magnitude distribution Graphs
Photographic results by team Delphinus on 16/17 November
Contributors to the successfull expedition of team Delphinus



Team Delphinus announces succesfull Leonid watch

Marco Langbroek and Koen Miskotte use the GPS-receiver to find out at which location we observed the Leonids Photo by Robert Haas


Dear everyone,

We have just returned home from a memorable journey. After observations on November15-16 from Sexbierum (in the uppermost part of the Netherlands) we went, guided by Jacob Kuiper of the Dutch Meteorological Institute, to Northern France, a journey over 600 km. Jacob guided us well, to as it seems one of the very rare parts of Europe which had periods of clear skies on 16-17.

In the vicinity of Abbeville (Somme estuary) we have been able to observe roughly during two periods from two stations: 0-1 UT and 3-6 UT. A very strong Leonid activity, many many memorable fireballs. We have not been able to check our data yet, but it reminded me of the 1995 Quadrantid activity in the period 2-3 hours after Quadrantid maximum, i.e. this would suggest a ZHR ~80-90. Many fireballs (something like 12 true ones within 1.5 hours), but also many many faint Leonids. It was really a great show.

More news, and eventually observational data, will soon follow. We are too tired now after 4 observational nights (13-14, 14-15, 15-16 and 16-17). About the night of 15-16: we managed to observe some 2 hours then, with nice activity though I am not able to give an opinion if it was already slightly enhanced. A -10 taurid fireball made this night very memorable.

Tired, but satisfied:

DMS team Delphinus (the Netherlands);




Leonids November 13/14 + 14/15, 1996

Below some more LEONID observations. It concerns my early observations from my hometown Voorschoten (the Netherlands) before the night of maximum. Note the night of 13-14 which was the clearest night I ever experienced in Voorschoten: a milky way into Monoceros from this urban (and therefore light polluted) area! The -3 Southern Taurid of November 15, 3:11:26 UT was spectacular: blue and with a whole bunch of flares, like fireworks. It was also observed by Koen Miskotte from Ermelo.

Marco Langbroek (the Netherlands)


Observer: Marco Langbroek (LANMA)
Location: Voorschoten (the Netherlands), 52d 07' N, 4d 28' E
All meteors have been plotted and classified from plottings (and speed).


Night 13-14 November 1996

Interval [UT]TeffLmNleoNtauNspoZHR(Leo)+-
2:20 - 3:120.706.322135.23.7
3:32 - 3:400.136.400 3 -
3:57 - 5:171.126.571236.82.6


Magnitude Distribution

Con-3-2-10+1+2+3+4+5+6Total
Leo 0 0 00 0 1 2 1 5 0 9
Tau 0 0 00 1 0 1 1 0 0 3
Spo 0 0 00 0 4 91213 139


Night 14-15 November 1996

Interval [UT]TeffLmNleoNtauNspoZHR(Leo)+-
2:50 - 4:000.736.3 633013.55.5
4:00 - 5:050.856.31322221.45.9


Magnitude Distribution

Con-3-2-10+1+2+3+4+5+6Total
Leo 0 0 0 0 1 2 3 6 7 019
Tau 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 0 0 5
Spo 0 0 1 0 1 1142118 157




Leonids November 15/16, 1996

Visual results obtained by Marco Langbroek (Dutch Meteor Society).

Observing location: Sexbierum (north-western part of the Netherlands)
Latitude: 53d15m (north)
Longitude: 5d30m (east)


Interval [UT]TeffMgLeoTauSpoZHR(Leo)
23h58m - 00h38m0.656.7223210 +- 7
00h38m - 01h18m0.606.5632528 +- 11
01h18m - 01h58m0.606.6712522 +- 8
02h20m - 02h24m0.076.2103


Magnitude distribution:

Con-10-2-10+1+2+3+4+5+6Total
Leo000001653116
Tau10010201106
Spo01001693727485


Sky condition: hazy but very dark

Remark 1:
Tonights special: a briljant -10 Taurid fireball at 01h07m30s UT

Remark 2:
Average ZHR: 20 +- 5 (interval: 23h58m - 01h58m).
ZHR of the Leonids is twice the normal value (slightly enhanced).




Leonids November 15/16, 1996

Visual results obtained by Koen Miskotte (Dutch Meteor Society).

Observing location: Sexbierum (north-western part of the Netherlands)
Latitude: 53d13m (north)
Longitude: 5d35m (east)


Interval [UT]TeffMgLeoTauSpoZHR(Leo)
23h55m - 01h00m1.086.725433
01h00m - 02h05m1.086.458527


Magnitude distribution:

Con-8-2-10+1+2+3+4+5+6Total
Leo 0 0 00 0 2 6 1 4 016
Tau 1 0 00 1 0 3 2 2 0 6
Spo 0 1 01 0 3 72918 185


Sky condition: hazy but very dark

Remark 1:
Tonights special: a briljant -8 Taurid fireball at 01h07m30s UT




Leonids November 16/17, 1996

Visual results obtained by Koen Miskotte (Dutch Meteor Society).

Observing location: Woignarue (near Abbeville, north-western France)
Latitude: 50d06m (north)
Longitude: 1d29m (east)


Interval [UT]TeffMgLeoTauaMoSpoZHR(Leo)
03h26m - 03h35m0.156.307003
03h40m - 03h52m0.206.258002
03h52m - 04h00m0.136.507104
04h00m - 04h08m0.136.6010007
04h08m - 04h17m0.156.5514005
04h17m - 04h30m0.226.5015016
04h30m - 04h40m0.176.5015006
04h40m - 04h52m0.206.4321104
04h52m - 04h57m0.086.2510008


Magnitude distribution:

Con-6-4-3-2-10+1+2+3+4+5+6Total
Leo 1 4 3 2 131112202523 2107
Tau 0 0 0 0 00 0 1 1 0 0 02
aMo 0 0 0 0 00 0 0 0 1 0 01
Spo 0 0 0 0 00 0 4121712 045




Leonid visual results: Graphs

Based on observations of:
Marco Langbroek, Koen Miskotte (team Delphinus)
Marc de Lignie, Jos Nijland (team Astra)


KMH = Koen Miskotte; MLV = Marco Langbroek (team Delphinus)




Photographic results Leonids 1996

As per November 20, the Delphinus-team which observed the Leonids near Abbeville in the north-western part of France captured about 20 Leonids on film! Nearly all these Leonids were photographed in a 90-minute clear period which lasted from 03:24 to 04:54 UT. Conditions at elevations below about 30 degrees at the sky were not excellent but despite this most of the fireballs observed by team Delphinus have been photographed. More details on our photographic results will appear on this DMS-website. Please stay tuned!


Place : Woignarue
Longitude: 50:06:11.8
Latitude : 01:29:12.0


Preliminary list of bright meteors recorded by team Delphinus at Woignarue

CounterTime [UT]Meteor
03903:51:30Leo, 0, Leo/Vir
04103:40:00Leo, -4, Ori
04103:57:14Leo, -2, Ori
04704:08:57Leo, -3, Dra
05104:12:00Leo, -2, Com
05404:13:11Leo, 0/-1, Per
06204:22:25Leo, -5/-6, Ori/Eri
08704:29:00Leo, -3, Eri
09104:31:09Leo, 0, Uma
09204:32:02Leo, -4, Leo
09604:32:47Leo, -4, Sirius
09904:33:09Leo, -4, Sirius
10504:37:43Leo, -3, Uma
10704:46:46Leo, 0/-1, Ori/Tau
11004:48:05Leo, -1/-3, Boo
11304:53:00Leo, -3, Boo
11505:21:00Flash!!
11805:38:40Leo, -8, Aur



The brighter Leonid near the polar star appeared on 96-11-17 at 04:08:57 UT



This -5 Leonid appeared in the constellation of Eridanus on 96-11-17 at 04:22:25 UT




Contributors team Delphinus

Such a success as team Delphinus achieved regarding the observations of the Leonids 1996 could not have been possible without help of many people. We hereby express our utmost gratitude to these people:

The members of team Delpinus consist of:

Marc de Lignie and Jos Nijland formed the other "Astra" team which worked closely together with team Delphinus and as such also had a lot of advantages of the many fine weatherpredictions of Jacob Kuiper.




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back.gif This page was last modified on December 4, 1996 by
Casper ter Kuile and Marco Langbroek