From: Hans Betlem, Dutch Meteor Society 
      Mike Koop, California Bay Meteor Society 
Date: Nov. 18, 1997


Multi-station photographic campaign near Edwards AFB southern California

The 1997 Leonids showed a major event over the western part of the USA.
Between 4:00 and 4:30 local time (12.00 - 12.30 UT), tens of fireballs
were seen by observers in Southern California.  There was a period in
which about one fireball of -4 or better was seen every minute.
Several of them -10 or so.  Many long enduring persistant trains
were reported.  Due to the bright moonlight, no faint meteors were seen.

A three station photographic network was set up by the members of the
Californian Bay Meteor Society in cooperation with the Dutch Meteor
Society which set up the third station at Edwards Air Force Base.
Despite the bright moonlight and the moon nearly in its zenith, it was
possible to make good photographs because of the very transparent sky
we had at maximum night and the night before.  We expect at least
40-50 bright Leonids and fireballs to have been photographed, many of
them multi-station photographs.  The California stations were set up at
Walker Pass (where a small earthquake was also felt!) and at Goldstone
test site.

The Dutch station at Edwards Air Force Base was set up in close
cooperation with a Canadian radar and video project set up by the
NRC (Peter Brown).