Nicolas BIVER #210

Letters to the Editor

From Nicolas BIVER in CMO #210

@ . . . . . You will find here a photocopy of the Mars drawing I made last months. Since early November, the weather has turned quite wet and showery, here - it had nearly not been as bad for more than a year (thanks to El Nino)! In addition I have been travelling to Mauna Kea (observing there with radio telescopes, only) for more than 2 weeks since October 28, so I haven't had any new opportunity to make a drawing of Mars.
The Leonids were interesting here, maybe 2HRs around 100 both on the 16th in the morning (16.65UT) and 17th. Of course we (I) were surprised by the early activity on the 16th and a bit disappointed by the 17th of November (17.2 - 17.7UT), when we got also many rain showers!
Sincerely

(20 Nov 1998)

@ . . . . . I haven't been able to observe Mars (i.e. make a drawing with good seeing) since last October. The weather has improved, but it is a bit to windy and gusty these days.
I saw several nice Leonids 2 weeks ago, first from my home on the 16 in the morning (16.6 UT), in Honolulu and was impressed by the number and fireballs (on of mag. -9), then the next night (17 12h-16h UT) I went to the north of the island of Oahu for a "Leonid Party" with the Hawaiian Astronomical Society, but the weather was not as fine as the night before, though the sky was darker and not obstructed by the roof of my apartment... We got a few rain showers...and some nice fireballs (brightest of mag. -8). Fortunately I got a mag.-4 one in Orion on a picture, that I have just put on my web page, and two fainter ones in another shot.

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~biver/cometnews.html
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~biver/leonids98.html
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/~biver/images/leonid

I have at least 1 picture of me with my telescope taken here: I will scan it and either send you a scan or a print as soon as possible.

(29 Nov 1998 email)

Nicolas BIVER ( Hawaii, USA ) biver@IfA.Hawaii.Edu