Single decker at Maidencombe Cross |
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Thursday, April 23, 2015
POLICE HELICOPTER OVER THE COOMBE
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
FIREBALL METEOR OVER MAIDENCOMBE
A little more information on the fireball meteor I witnessed in the early hours of this morning. It appeared very low down in the sky and disappeared behind the ridge of fields on the top coast path (John Musgrove Heritage Trail). As stated, it was searingly bright and could be compared to the landing headlights of an aircraft. The relatively slow descent could be attributed to the shallow angle of the meteor's incoming approach. No sound was heard.
FIREBALL METEOR SIGHTED
Due south of the Village Green at 12:31 am today. An intensely bright white meteor of about double the brightness of the planet Venus (apparent magnitude -4.6). Duration of transit approximately 1.5 seconds. All the criteria to justify a rare celestial event - a fireball meteor.
As a keen amateur astronomer, I have never witnessed anything of this brightness before. I would liken it to a slow motion meteor. The gif image below is about the same elapsed time of my sighting.
The brightness of this fireball meteor gives it the potential of attaining meteorite status.
These extracts courtesy of the American Meteor Society (founded 1911):
Generally speaking, a fireball must be greater than about magnitude -8 to -10 in order to potentially produce a meteorite fall. Two important additional requirements are that (1) the parent meteoroid must be of asteroidal origin, composed of sufficiently sturdy material for the trip through the atmosphere, and (2) the meteoroid must enter the atmosphere as a relatively slow meteor. Meteoroids of asteroid origin make up only a small percentage (about 5%) of the overall meteoroid population, which is primarily cometary in nature.
FREQUENCY OF FIREBALLS
Several thousand meteors of fireball magnitude occur in the Earth’s atmosphere each day. The vast majority of these, however, occur over the oceans and uninhabited regions, and a good many are masked by daylight. Those that occur at night also stand little chance of being detected due to the relatively low numbers of persons out to notice them.
Additionally, the brighter the fireball, the more rare is the event. As a general thumb rule, there are only about 1/3 as many fireballs present for each successively brighter magnitude class, following an exponential decrease. Experienced observers can expect to see only about 1 fireball of magnitude -6 or better for every 200 hours of meteor observing, while a fireball of magnitude -4 can be expected about once every 20 hours or so.
The next two nights will see the onset of the Lyrid meteor showers which may be spectacular this year.
As a keen amateur astronomer, I have never witnessed anything of this brightness before. I would liken it to a slow motion meteor. The gif image below is about the same elapsed time of my sighting.
The brightness of this fireball meteor gives it the potential of attaining meteorite status.
These extracts courtesy of the American Meteor Society (founded 1911):
Generally speaking, a fireball must be greater than about magnitude -8 to -10 in order to potentially produce a meteorite fall. Two important additional requirements are that (1) the parent meteoroid must be of asteroidal origin, composed of sufficiently sturdy material for the trip through the atmosphere, and (2) the meteoroid must enter the atmosphere as a relatively slow meteor. Meteoroids of asteroid origin make up only a small percentage (about 5%) of the overall meteoroid population, which is primarily cometary in nature.
An example of a fireball meteor (courtesy of NASA/George Varros) |
FREQUENCY OF FIREBALLS
Several thousand meteors of fireball magnitude occur in the Earth’s atmosphere each day. The vast majority of these, however, occur over the oceans and uninhabited regions, and a good many are masked by daylight. Those that occur at night also stand little chance of being detected due to the relatively low numbers of persons out to notice them.
Additionally, the brighter the fireball, the more rare is the event. As a general thumb rule, there are only about 1/3 as many fireballs present for each successively brighter magnitude class, following an exponential decrease. Experienced observers can expect to see only about 1 fireball of magnitude -6 or better for every 200 hours of meteor observing, while a fireball of magnitude -4 can be expected about once every 20 hours or so.
The next two nights will see the onset of the Lyrid meteor showers which may be spectacular this year.
Sunday, April 19, 2015
FOXES IN DAYLIGHT
ABOVE WHITSAND COVE
Sunday, April 12, 2015
A FOX CAME A VISITING
The first cautious step inside |
Wednesday, April 08, 2015
FERRO CONCRETE BOAT 'SURFACES'
Left: seaweed covered FCB August 2013 Right: scoured FCB April 2015 |
As can be seen from the photos above, the ribs of the FCB were clearly visible at low tide, covered with weed but over the winter were scoured clean by an inundation of sand and hidden from view.
The ribs have now partly 'surfaced' with no seaweed cover.
Further up the beach, the bow section of the FCB is still 'submerged' under three or four feet of sand.
Tuesday, April 07, 2015
THE 'FINGERS' NORTH OF MACKEREL COVE
With a 1.0 metre low tide and clear blue skies, I set out for a mini expedition (90 minutes) and photo shoot for the first three coves, Maidencombe, Blackaller's and Mackerel. I have now sold all the initial print run of 'Coves of Maidencombe' and will be entertaining a second revision.
With such a low tide, I was able to walk around the formidable and taxing shelfway north of Mackerel Cove and take a photo of the fully exposed Fingers (above).
With such a low tide, I was able to walk around the formidable and taxing shelfway north of Mackerel Cove and take a photo of the fully exposed Fingers (above).
Friday, April 03, 2015
APRIL FOOL SPOOF?
Header photo displayed on April 1st. |
However, this year, the accompanying text outlining possible proposals for reed beds and even a mini-lake to alleviate long-standing problems of flooding in Brim Hill and Rockhouse Lane was essentially accurate.
All the facts and extracts were actually taken from a meeting regarding Sladnor Park at Torquay Town Hall in 1997.
The outlined proposals still hold good to this day and may yet, in some form, come to fruition.
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