 |
| 1. Observing groups |
| 2. Locations |
| 3. Teammembers |
| 4. Timetable |
| 5. Equipment |
| 6. Considerations |
| DMS observational groups | |
|---|---|
| Perpignan | France (2 stations) |
| Madrid | Spain (2 stations) |
| Faro | Portugal (2 stations) |
 |
2 = Team "Delingha" - Narbonne - France (movable)
3 = Team "Xinglong" - Madrid - Spain (mobile)
4 = Team "Xinglong" - Madrid - Spain (mobile)
5 = Team "Lin Ting Kou" - Faro - Portugal (mobile)
6 = Team "Lin Ting Kou" - Faro - Portugal (mobile)
Members of team "Delingha" (France):
- Carl Johannink - Perpignan
- Casper ter Kuile - Perpignan
- Marco Langbroek - Perpignan
- Marc de Lignie - Perpignan
- Elisabeth Middelhoff - Perpignan
- Koen Miskotte - Perpignan
- Robert Haas - Narbonne
- Jos Nijland - Narbonne
- Romke Schievink - Narbonne
- Arnold Tukkers - Narbonne
- Rita Verhoef - Narbonne
Members of team "Xinglong" (Teruel, Spain):
- Hans Betlem
- Annemarie Zoete
- Michelle van Rossum
- Guus Docters van Leeuwen
- Pavel Spurny (Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
- Anna Spurny (Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
- Ales Kolar (Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
- Pavel Trepka (Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
Members of team "Lin Ting Kou" (Portugal):
- Peter Bus
- Jaap van 't Leven
- Olga van Mil
- Alex Scholten
Timetable:
- November 12: Departure from the Netherlands
- November 13: Arrival at base stations
- November 14: Technical setup and testing
- November 15: Observational tests (15/16)
- November 16: First full observations (16/17)
- November 17: The Night! (17/18)
- November 18: Third observational night (18/19)
- November 19: First analysis
- November 20: Departure form base stations
- November 21: Arrival in the Netherlands
Expedition set-up of team "Delingha" (France-Perpignan):
- Camera-array consisting of 4 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 75 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 7 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 50 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 9 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 25 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 6 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/85 mm optics pointed at various elevations
- Canon T-90 with command-back 90 with 1.2/50 mm optics for persistent train photography
- Image intensified video system consisting of an AEG-1400 second generation image intensifier, a Sigma 2.8/16 mm objective, yielding a field of view of 100 degrees and an analog Sony CCD-TR705E camcorder
- Image intensified video system consisting of a DEP image intensifier + CCD module, Sony CCD-V100E camcorder
- Image intensified video system consisting of a 3-stage DEP XX-1149 1-st generation image intensifier, a Canon 1.2/55 mm objective, yielding a field of view of 17 degrees and a digital Panasonic NV-DA1 camcorder
Expedition set-up of team "Delingha" (France-Narbonne):
- Camera-array consisting of 4 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 75 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 7 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 50 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 9 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 25 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 6 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/85 mm optics pointed at various elevations
- 6 x 6 cm All-Sky system equipped with fish-eye optics
- Canon T-90 with 2.0/135 mm, 2.0/35 mm, 2.8/24 mm, 2.8/28 mm on a parallactic mounting for starguided pictures
- Image intensified video system consisting of a Delnocta image intensifier Oldelft type 79M2, Oldelft 1.4/50 mm objective, yielding a field of view of 17 degrees, Sony DVD video camera type DCR-VX1000E
Expedition set-up of team "Xinglong" (Spain base-station):
- Camera-array consisting of 6 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 65 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 8 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 41 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 9 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 17 degrees elevation
- Canon T-90 with command-back 90 for persistent train photography
- f/4.5-160 mm Zeiss Spectrograaf for persistent train photography
- Image intensified video system with a field of view of 180 degrees (Hans Betlem)
- Image intensified video system with a field of view of 25 degrees (Pavel Spurny, Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
- All sky equipment Zeiss Distagon f/3.5-30 mm HFT. European Network patrol cameras (Pavel Spurny, Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
Expedition set-up of team "Xinglong" (Spain secondary-station):
- Camera-array consisting of 6 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 65 degrees elevation
- Camera-array consisting of 8 Canon T-70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 41 degrees elevation
- Image intensified video system with a field of view of 25 degrees (Pavel Spurny, Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
- All sky equipment Zeiss Distagon f/3.5-30 mm HFT. European Network patrol cameras (Pavel Spurny, Ondrejov Observatory, Czech Republic)
Expedition set-up of team "Lin Ting Kou" (Portugal):
- Camera-array consisting of 6 Canon T70 SLR-camera's with 1.8/50 mm optics pointed at 70 degrees elevation.
- Canon F1-AE with 100 exposure back and 1.2/85 mm objective for persistent train photography.
- Equatorial mount with Canon T70 and 2.0/135 mm objective.
- Equatorial mount with 2 Canon T70 camera's and 2.0/35 mm and 2.8/15mm objectives.
- Equatorial mount with Pentax 6x7 medium format camera and 4.5/35mm fisheye lens.
- Image intensified video system consisting of an Mullard XX1332 second generation image intensifier, a Canon 1.2/55 mm objective, yielding a field of view of 45 degrees and a digital Grundig DLC10 camcorder.
- Forward Scatter Meteor Observations using a SONY ICF-SW7600 commercial receiver and a 3-element Yagi antenna. The signals will be recorded digitally during the period when the radiant is above the horizon on 1999, November 17, 18 and 19.
With respect to astronomical conditions DMS members evaluated all possibilities.
The table below summarizes some astronomical parameters for three well known observing locations.
Carefully evaluating the data in the table it should be clear why DMS observers favor locations in France or Spain for observing the Leonids '99.
| Radiant Elevation and Twilight | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Location | Canary Islands | Perpignan France | Amman Jordan |
| Latitude | 28 N | 43 N | 32 N |
| Longitude | -17 W | +3 E | +36 E |
| 0 UT | -8 | +12 | +36 |
| 1 UT | +3 | +23 | +49 |
| 2 UT | +16 | +34 | +61 |
| 3 UT | +28 | +45 | +73 |
| 4 UT | +42 | +55 | +80 |
| Astronomical | 6h08m UT | 5h02m UT | 2h40m UT |
| Nautical | 6h36m UT | 5h36m UT | 3h09m UT |
| Civil | 7h05m UT | 6h10m UT | 3h39m UT |
To summarize: when we consider the theory of Asher & McNaught the outburst of the Leonids '99 should peak at about 2 UT. Then an observing location such as the Canary Islands is to far west because of low Radiant elevation. No problems with twilight at this location however. An observing location such as in Jordan has an excellent Radiant elevation but twilight interferes observations too early. This is why DMS observers decided to have France, Spain and Portugal as there observing locations. Another added advantage is the ease of the logistics operations involved. But as with all decisions there is a marked risk: the weather situation in this time of the year in western Europa.
