From: Malcolm Purves, USA Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1998 04:48:11 +0000 Gosh! I have been (trying) on and off to observe meteors in the UK since 1955 and I never saw nothing like this ! Quite remarkable. I will spare you all the details but suffice to say that if any had produced a 'bang' would have had me running for cover !! The most remarkable one was not even seen, way out low down in the east a low range of hills with trees atop, behind that a flash of light like distant lightning, lit up the whole landscape and the few remaining clouds. I had gone out at midnight, total overcast that only Cappela and Beetlejuice and a few others were showing through. Watched for 20 min but no fireballs! I had had very poor counts and magnitudes of Leonids the night before, so when GeoZay reported all his lot I thougt he was either on a different planet or had a vivid halucination ( ooohoops sorry George ), so here I was, sorting out my e-mail and bits and pieces till 02:50UT (local) muttering expletives about the English weather. Preparing to go to bed,last look outside ( you know the feeling? ! ) and lo- 5.5LM clouds vanishing over the horizon and what a display! Well well, y'all out there in the new world, get out your tin hats and watch, through any crack in the clouds you can find. Right, than, now that I have warmed up by the fireside a bit, off out again