Leonids 2002 : Expeditions to Spain and Portugal
DMS-members observing the Leonids 2002


Leo2001 groupphoto
  1. Introduction
  2. Astronomical considerations
  3. Climatological considerations
  4. Weather forecasts
  5. DMS teams
  6. Timetable
  7. Briefing
  8. Logistics
  9. Communications
  10. Observing techniques
  11. Aiming points multistation video
  12. References
  13. Checklist
  14. Conclusion
  15. Appendices
  16. Acknowledgements
  17. Links


Last updated: 31 december 2002


Introduction

The Leonids 2002 are ready to visit our planet for the very last time. And we are nearly ready to say a warm welcome to them! We will be on duty in Spain in the province of Andalucia and in southern Portugal. If possible we will try to update this website from Spain, so please stay tuned for any updated!

Please have some patience...
We are working hard to have these webpages on line!
Thank you!


Astronomical considerations


Copyright: Armagh Observatory, College Hill, Northern Ireland

This is the famous "dust-trail-theory" figure of David Asher and Rob McNaught which expains why and when earth will move through the Leonid dustclouds.
Note earth will pass the outer regions of the 1767 (7 revolutions) dust-trail on november 19 at 4 UT. This outburst will be visible from western Europe. At about 10h36m earth will pass the 1866 (4 revolutions) dust-trail. To observe meteors from this dust-trail the US is the place to be. Please consult the website of Armagh Observatory for more detailed information.

"Leonid dust trail structure and predictions for 2002" by R.H. McNaught and D.J. Asher in PDF and Postscript formats.





Above: Leonid 2002 Predictions for the 7 revolution dust trail visible from western Europe


Above: Leonid 2002 Predictions for the 4 revolution dust trail visible from the United States





The Leonid Meteor Shower, Revised 2002 predictions

David Asher and Rob McNaught, Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Australian National University.




Lyytinen: Predicted maximum of the 7 revolution dust trail on november 19 at 04:00 UT visible by observers from western-Europe

Lyytinen: Predicted maximum of the 4 revolution dust trail on november 19 at 10:36 UT visible by observers from the Unites States

These are the famous figures of Esko Lyytinen which shows the expected ZHR observers will experience on november 19 when the earth passes the 7-th revolution dust trail at 04:00 visible above western Europe and the 4-th revolution dust trail at 10:36 UT visible above the United States. Note the actual hourly rate observed is (much) lower as indicated in this graph because the Leonid radiant is not in the Zenit at most locations and the full moon will prevent fainter Leonids from beiing observed.
For detailed information please consult: Lyytinen's Team Leonid predictions for year 2002





The October Leonid Forecast for 2002 - (Applicable to Earth and Spacecraft in near-Earth Space)
2002 Leonid Forecasts. Creation year of streams are indicated over activity peaks

by Bill Cooke, E-Mail: bill.cooke@msfc.nasa.gov
Space Environments Team, Marshall Space Flight Center





This fine figure by Rob McNaught very clearly explains where to watch the 7 revolutions (year 1767) dust trail of the Leonids. Note the thick line from top to bottom marks the locations where the sun will rise november 19 at 04:00 UT. The thinner lines to the left indicate the start of civil, nautical and astronomical twilight at 04:00 UT.
In the center of this figure the Leonid radiant is at the zenit. At each circle away from the center the Leonid radiant is at a 10 degrees lower position at the sky. So roughly the radiant will be at 50 to 60 degrees elevation for most observers located in western Europe.
This figure above by Rob McNaught from the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics explains in a nutshell where you have to go to observe the Leonid outburst in november 2002.


Copyright: ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY OF AUSTRALIA

This fine figure by Rob McNaught very clearly explains where to watch the 4 revolutions dust trail (year 1866) of the Leonids. Note the thick line from top to bottom marks the locations where the sun will rise november 19 at 10:36 UT. The thinner lines to the left indicate the start of civil, nautical and astronomical twilight at 10:36 UT.
In the center of this figure the Leonid radiant is at the zenit. At each circle away from the center the Leonid radiant is at a 10 degrees lower position at the sky. So roughly the radiant will be at 40 to 70 degrees elevation for most observers located in the United States.
This figure above by Rob McNaught from the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics explains in a nutshell where you have to go to observe the Leonid outburst in november 2002.



Climatological considerations

Leonids 2002 - Climatology of France

Meteorological data at certain locations in France during the Leonids 2002 outburst

Please consult the Dutch National Weather Service (KNMI) for more detailed climatological information


Leonids 2002 - Climatology of Spain

Meteorological data at certain locations in Spain during the Leonids 2002 outburst

Please consult the Dutch National Weather Service (KNMI) for more detailed climatological information


Leonids 2002 - Climatology of Portugal

Meteorological data at certain locations in Portugal during the Leonids 2002 outburst

Please consult the Dutch National Weather Service (KNMI) for more detailed climatological information



DMS teams

The DMS Leonid Expedition 2002 to Spain and Portugal consists of:

  1. Team Castillejar
    2.
  2. Team Galera
    3.
  3. Team Otura
    4.
  4. Team Calar Alto
    5.  (provisional!)
  5. Team Camper 1 : Curica
    6.  (near to Galera)
  6. Team Camper 2 : Lucainena
    7.  (in the Sierra Nevada)
  7. Team Portugal
    8.

Timetable

Below you will find the timetable of the DMS Leonid Expedition 2002:

DayDateDescription of Activity
1Saturday november 16Arrival at Malaga and transfer to observing sites
2Sunday november 17Briefing at Castillejar and exchange of equipment and phonenumbers
2/3Sunday/Monday november 17/18Setup and Testing equipment, observing, near-real time flux experiment
3/4Monday/Tuesday november 18/19Night of the ourburst! Visual including flux, Photo, Video
4Tuesday november 19Rest, preparing reports
5Wednesday november 20Post meeting at Castillejar and exchange of equipment
6Thursday november 21Visit to Granada
7Friday november 22Preparing for departure
8Saturday november 23Flight from Malaga to Amsterdam



Briefing

List of topics to be delt with at the Castillejar briefing on november 17

1Exchange of equipment to stations Castillejar, Otura and Calar Alto
2Exchange of GSM prepaid Spanish phonenumbers for connections between the teams at local rates
3Exchange of aiming points for the multistation image intensified videosystems
4Checking of DCF-clocks and GPS timing accuracy
5Groupphoto of all observers and all equipment
6Discussing the weather prospect and if necessary planning crash-expedition to clear skies...
7Coffee and some delicious titbits :-)



Logistics

Map of Locations in Spain


We advice you to use the Michelin map no. 446 - Andalucia, Costa del Sol, 1/400 000, 1 cm : 4 kilometers


LocationLongitude
(west!)
[dd.mm.ss]		Latitude
(north)
[dd.mm.ss]		Altitude
[m]
Otura3 37 5037 05 26792
Castillejar2 38 3837 43 031000
Calar Alto2 32 4637 13 252168



Communications

Within Spain we make you of Spanish prepaid SIM-cards to operate our mobile phones. These phonenumbers will be exchanged between the teams at the briefing at Castillejar on sunday 17 november.
Moreover we will have available our own GSM-numbers which are operational throughout Europe. These will be used to communicate to other observers outside Spain.

StationGSM phonenumber
Otura-1+31 - 6 - 24 24 24 45
Otura-2+31 - 6 - 47 47 62 08



Observing Techniques

The DMS Leonid Expedition 2002 to Spain and Portugal use visual, photographic and image intensified video techniques to observe the Leonid meteorstorm.

  1. Team Castillejar
    2.
  2. Team Galera
    3.
  3. Team Otura
    4.
  4. Team Calar Alto
    5.  (still provisional!!!)
  5. Team Camper 1
    6.
  6. Team Camper 2
    7.
  7. Team Portugal
    8.

Aiming points multistation image intensified video project


Geographical Locations of stations of the DMS Leonid Expedition 2002 to Andalucia, Spain

StationName of StationNorth
[dd.mm.ss,s]		East
[dd.mm.ss,s]		Altitude
[m]
1Rodalquilar (Otura)36 51 21,8-2 00 53,616
2Fuente Alamo (Castillejar)37 45 16,8-1 08 46,650?
3Fuente Amarga (Calar Alto)37 30 18-1 58 51750


Exposure times at Rodalquilar (Otura) station

NightTape no.Start [UT]End [UT]
18/19102:0403:54
203:5605:20

Exposure times at Fuente Alamo (Castillejar) station

NightTape no.Start [UT]End [UT]
18/191 - -
2 - -
3 - -

Exposure times at Fuente Amarga (Calar Alto) station

NightTape no.Start [UT]End [UT]
18/19123:1601:27
201:4003:43
303:4505:32


Aiming points as calculated by Marc de Lignie's QRicht program:

Height of aiming point: 110 km

Geographical latitude of aiming point:  37 45'  0"
Geographical longitude of aiming point: -1 30'  0"

Geographical latitude of station 1:     36 51' 22"
Geographical longitude of station 1:    -2  0' 54"

Geographical latitude of station 2:     37 45' 17"
Geographical longitude of station 2:    -1  8' 47"

Geographical latitude of station 3:     37 30' 18"
Geographical longitude of station 3:    -1 58' 51"

Azimuth for station 1:    204.5
Elevation for station 1:   45.2

Azimuth for station 2:     89.0
Elevation for station 2:   74.2

Azimuth for station 3:    237.2
Elevation for station 3:   65.4

Julian Day  2452597.5 corresponds to date 11-19-2002

    JD     time(UT)    RA1    DE1     RA2    DE2     RA3    DE3     

           17:00:00    0 38  69 50   19 31  35 50   22 50  47 05
           18:00:00    1 38  69 50   20 31  35 50   23 50  47 05
           19:00:00    2 38  69 50   21 31  35 50    0 50  47 05
           20:00:00    3 38  69 50   22 32  35 50    1 50  47 05
           21:00:00    4 39  69 50   23 32  35 50    2 50  47 05
           22:00:00    5 39  69 50    0 32  35 50    3 51  47 05
           23:00:00    6 39  69 50    1 32  35 50    4 51  47 05
2452598.5   0:00:00    7 39  69 50    2 32  35 50    5 51  47 05
            1:00:00    8 39  69 50    3 32  35 50    6 51  47 05
            2:00:00    9 39  69 50    4 32  35 50    7 51  47 05
            3:00:00   10 40  69 50    5 33  35 50    8 51  47 05
            4:00:00   11 40  69 50    6 33  35 50    9 52  47 05
            5:00:00   12 40  69 50    7 33  35 50   10 52  47 05
            6:00:00   13 40  69 50    8 33  35 50   11 52  47 05


Angles between average trails of active major streams:

Stream              time(UT)     1-2     1-3     2-3

Leonids            
                    17:00:00      46       5      41
                    18:00:00      39       1      40
                    19:00:00      29       7      36
                    20:00:00      16      13      29
                    21:00:00       3      18      21
                    22:00:00       9      23      14
                    23:00:00      21      27       6
                     0:00:00      31      31       0
                     1:00:00      42      35       7
                     2:00:00      53      36      17
                     3:00:00      62      32      31
                     4:00:00      70      19      51
                     5:00:00      74       1      73
                     6:00:00      71      13      84


A minus sign indicates that the angle varies strongly across the
field of either station (close to radiant).




Back to
DMS homepage		 back.gif This page was last modified on December 31, 2002 by
Koen Miskotte and Casper ter Kuile