FreeLists / az-observing / [AZ-Observing] Re: Count of Leonids hitting the Moon

[Jeff Hopkins <phxjeff@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 21:54 -0700 11/18/04, Stanley A. Gorodenski wrote:
>I went out and observed the dark side of the moon for awhile to count
>the number of Leonids hitting the moon - as if there would be any :-)
>It became obvious that without previous experience it would be
>impossible to recognize an impact from the flashes that once in awhile
>occurs in my eyes, probably as the vitreuos fluid pulls on the back of
>my eyeball. I did observe one interesting thing. There was a part of the
>moon that persistently produced flashes. It was centered at a small
>point like, but still extended, area that was lighter than the rest of
>the dark side of the moon. My guess is that when I was looking at the
>rest of the dark moon (the sunlit part was outside the field of view),
>this area is in my averted vision, and once in awhile the brighter spot
>on the moon stimulated a sensitive rod, causing what appeared to be a flash.
>Stan
>

I've been out in my observatory since sundown. I've been doing UBV 
photometry of Algol and epsilon Aurigae. About 7:20 tonight there was 
a fairly impressive fireball over Phoenix headed SE.

I too have watched the dark side of the moon for flashes and those 
I've seen as with Stan I think were within my eyes, not on the moon. 
The bright area on the dark side has always intrigued me. It was like 
a city glowing there in the dark. I did a study and took pictures of 
it to try and identify the area. It seems many others have noted this 
too. I think you will find it's Aristarchus.

Back to Algol (it on the down sweep of its eclipse right now.

Jeff
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