How to Report

The next morning, when you tally your results, divide them into separate time periods about an hour long, giving the beginning and end to the nearest minute. Shorter periods are preferable if the radiant was low or the action changed significantly. For each period, total up the number of shower and non-shower meteors that you noted within it. If you estimated magnitudes, list the numbers of each type of meteor at each brightness level. Give the sky's average limiting magnitude during the period, the average percent of your view that was obstructed, and the amount of time lost to breaks and/or writing.

Both times and dates should be given in Universal Time. If you have any question about this, include your civil (clock) time and date, along with the time zone you are in, for clarification.

Also include your latitude and longitude to 1° or better (use a GPS receiver or find them on a map), the direction you were looking toward, and anything else relevant. The IMO urges observers to monitor the meteor showers for several nights before and after the predicted peak to help provide full coverage of the weeklong shower.

Reports can be sent to the IMO through its North American coordinator: Robert D. Lunsford, 1828 Cobblecreek St., Chula Vista, CA 91913-3917.

Observers outside North America can send reports directly to the IMO's Visual Commission. E-mail or write to Rainer Arlt, Friedenstr. 5, D-14109 Berlin, Germany

At Sky & Telescope we're always glad to see a copy of your report by e-mail or surface mail to Sky & Telescope, 90 Sherman St., Cambridge, MA 02140 USA, but please send your original to one of the addresses above.