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dc.creator
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-05T17:48:45Z
dc.date.available2023-06-05T17:48:45Z
dc.date.issued1932-05-05
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.tcu.edu/handle/116099117/58983
dc.descriptionArticle from the American Meteor Society Bulletin with questionnaire.
dc.relationOscar Monnig Papers (MS 124)
dc.rightsPrior written permission from TCU Special Collections required to use any document or photograph.
dc.sourceSeries III, Box 06, Deport Iron, 1933-1977 folder
dc.subjectMeteorite
dc.subjectDeport (Tex.)
dc.titleThe American Meteor Society Bulletin No. 13, May 5, 1932
dc.typeArticle
dc.description.transcriptionThe American Meteor Society Bulletin No. 13 Flower Observatory of the University of Pennsylvania-Reprint No. 13 A very brilliant meteor or fireball is reported to have passed in your vicinity on 3-15-1882 at the hour of 8:3.0. Pm Will you please answer as fully as possible the following questions, which are asked on behalf of the American Meteor Society in order that permanent records of such phenomena may be obtained. When these reports are published each contributor whose report is fairly complete will be mentioned by name and due credit given. It is only by the help of those who can give personal information that data can be secured for the computation of the orbits of meteors. These data are of great scientific value and all reasonable efforts should be made to obtain them. If you are unable to answer all questions below, answer those you can, as they may be of the greatest importance. Fill in replies in blank spaces left and enclose an additional sheet with any further comments or description if you need more space. Complete instructions are given at the end of the questions. Please read them all before attempting to write any answers. (1) Give your name and address. (2) Where were you when you saw the meteor? (If the town is small please give county as well.) [1 1/2 miles East from Depart Red River Co. W. L. Barry HW. Deport Tex.] (3) Give the hour and minute when the meteor appeared; also kind o time used. [8.30 PM - C. S.] (4) In what direction did it appear (or in what direction was it first seen)? [N. W. -] (5) In what direction did it disappear (or in what direction was it last seen)? For questions 4 and 5, simply N, E, S, or W is not accurate enough, unless these were the exact directions. [S. E. -] (6) At what height did it appear? (Use degrees in answering.) [45] (7) At what height did it disappear? (Use degrees in answering.) [45] (8) Did it pass directly overhead (i.e., through the zenith)? [90 yes] (9) If not, to which side of the zenith did it go, and how far from it? (Use degrees in answering.) (10) Did it appear to reach the horizon? [no] (11) What angle did the path of the meteor make with the horizon and in which direction was it then going? [See diagram] (12) If you are familiar with constellations describe the path of the meteor through the sky with reference to stars. [Not familiar] (13) Did the meteor appear to explode? [yes] (14) What was the duration of its flight in seconds? [60] (15) Describe the trail if one was left. [Left a broad stroke and light] (16) What was the duration of the trail in seconds? [2 or 4 min.] (17) Did you hear any sound? [Yes] How long after seeing the meteor was it before you heard this sound? [30 sec.] Did you hear an actual explosion? [Yes] How long after seeing the explosion was it before you heard it? [appeared to be same instant] (18) Of what color was the meteor? [Pale red] (19) What was the size of the meteor? (Compare it with the Moon or with a planet or star.) [Appeared to be as large as the moon when full] (20) Was more than one body seen before the explosion (if any)? [no] (21) Give names and addresses of others who saw the meteor. [Can not give more name of any one.] (22) Please mail this reply to Oscar E. Monnig 312 W. Leuda Ft. Worth Texas Occasionally at night and less often by day a person has the good fortune to see a great meteor, or fireball. As the number seen in the average lifetime is very small, great pains should be taken to make as accurate observations as possible. We must have the observer's name, the place from which the object was seen (the position of the observer's station must be given as exactly as he can find it, ie., to within a mile if possible), and the hour and minute when the object appeared. For the fireball itself, the fundamental data are the point in the sky at which it appeared, and the point at which it dis-appeared. If it was seen at night, and the observer knows the constellations, these points can at once be described accurately with regard to neighboring stars. If, as usual, the person seeing the fireball does not know any stars or constellations, the beginning and end points can be fixed only by their directions and their angular heights above the horizon. Everyone knows what is meant by directions, but few can fix them accurately. However, particularly if the observer is in a familiar place, he can fix the points with regard to trees, poles, houses, etc. Then with the help of a friend who can determine angles, he can measure off the directions and altitudes quite simply. If no such friend is available, the best thing to do is to use a compass or if possible to check up the directions from some map of the surrounding territory. As for altitudes, it is 90 degrees from the horizon to the zenith; hence one must make the best estimate of what part of 90 degrees each of the two altitudes is. "The Pointers" of the Big Dipper are five degrees apart; the Belt of Orion is three degrees long. Either will help in estimating a distance in degrees. Warning should be here given that the use of miles, yards, feet, or inches to describe the heights or lengths of paths of meteors or fireballs has no possible meaning and the words are wasted. As a check on the direction of the path, it is always useful to give the angle of the path--in degrees, or by a diagram--with the horizon, of course saying which way the meteor was going. The object's size should be compared with that of the full Moon or some planet or bright star. Here again the use of "inches" in describing diameters has absolutely no meaning, nor has the comparison of the meteor with balls or fruit. If possible, the duration of flight should be estimated in seconds, and if an explosion is seen, one should time carefully how many minutes or seconds elapse before it is heard. This is an excellent check on other observations. If the object is seen in daylight, exactly the same notes should be made, except that here it is impossible to use the stars as reference points. In all cases additional notes as to color, trains left, peculiar motion, etc., are useful. A report which has only part of the desired data may be very valuable; please send us everything noted about the fire-ball, whether it is much or little. Your observations may include just the one point lacking in reports from other people, and so may make possible a solution of the heights and orbit. Annual Meteor Shows For the information of the casual observer the following data concerning the principal annual meteor showers are given. For leap years the dates should be one day earlier than those listed here. All dates are those of the evening on which the maximum is due, even though the shower appears after midnight and therefore on the next calendar date. For the average year the Perseids are the richest stream, followed in order by the Geminids and Orionids. The American Meteor Society is always glad to receive accurate hourly counts of meteors made by one person on any of the nights when annual streams are active. * Brilliant Leonid showers are expected in 1932 and 1933. 1932 May 5


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  • Records of the Monnig Meteorite Gallery [2825]
    The files are arranged alphabetically, usually according to the location of discovery of the meteorite. The files contain correspondence and research material on the meteorites in the collection.

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