From: Hamid Touma, Morocco 
Rabat Astronomical Observatory
Date: Tue, 19 Nov 2002 15:00:46 +0000


The Rabat Astronomical Observatory organised the 5th astronomical camp,
which was dedicated to observing the 2002 Leonids meteor shower around its
 theorical (4 h UT) and expected peak visible from Morocco. The camp was
held between 16-18 November, in the site of. Rabat Astronomical Observatory.
During the 16 and 17 novembre the Sky of Rabat was totally cloudly.
But on last night of 18-19 November 2002 the sky was a beautiful one although
the full Moon. The Rabat Astronomical Observatory is on 20 km West-South of
Rabat City which is localised on 34=B0 03' N and 6=B046' W.

73 members participated on this night. It was expected that a storm would
 occur on 04 h UT on the night of 18-19 November 2002. The others pics of
 Leonides 2002 were calculated for 6 h and 10 h 44 mn, are not visible from
Morocco.

The night rate of meteors was detected as soon as the observers started
the observations at 00:00 UT on 19 November 2002. This high activity was
clearly noticed even from Rabat, where the sky was superb at that time and
 the limiting magnitude reached about 5.0. The many meteors flew across the
sky from the Ursa Major constellation to the Orion constellation, or to the
Canis Major constellation, or to the Auriga constellation.

In Morocco, we have talked about the Leonides 2002 in the Moroccan Nation
al Newpapers, and in the Moroccan International Channel. In fact, Professor
Samir KADIRI, director of the Rabat Astronomical Observatory, have organised
live broadcasting on Morrocan international radio channel about these Leonids
2002 on Monday 18 November 2002 from 21 h to 23 h UT. As for the National
Newspaper, I (TOUMA Hamid) and Samir KADIRI, Najid NourEddine, we have
published, some papers about these Leonids 2002 respectively in the L'OPINION
and the ALBAYANE and Le MATIN du Sahara Newspapers, Sunday and Monday
17 and 18 November 2002. The media coverage of this astronomical
phenomenon in Morocco was really successful.

During these night of 18 novembre 2002, we have started on 20 h 30 mn by
some sessions of Planetarium, a slide show, and session of observation of
 Saturn, Moon, Double amas of Persus, Jupiter, and M42 Orion Nebula.

After, we have started to observe  and to count the fireballs of Leonids
2002. As you can see below the results of this observation.


Visual Observation and counting of Leonids 2002 

Below are the observers on the night of 18 november 2002 =


The Night 18-19 November 2002.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Observer        TIME (UT)        Number of meteors observed
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HAKAM Mohamed   23 : 30 - 1: 45 76
NSIRI Bachir    23 : 30 - 2: 45 94
CHAKIB Foudil   22 : 30 - 00 : 45       21
ALAOUI Mamoune  22 : 30 - 00 : 45       24
KADIRI Samir    00 : 15 - 4 : 20        283
BEN OTMANE Younes       23 : 40 - 02 : 05       116
MEDKOURI Anas   22 : 15 - 00 : 20       17
JEMMAH Ilhame   00 : 50 - 05 : 20       247
TOUMA Hamid     00:00 - 5:45    354
EL KABBAJ Chakib        22:30 - 23: 15  3
EL KABBAJ Mohamed Amine   22:30 - 23: 10        4
BENCHEIKR Nessrine      21:30 - 23: 10  5
BENCHEIKR Ka.   21:30 - 23: 10  7
ALMOUATAMID Catherine    21:30 - 23:20  9
BENKIRANE Mariem        22:40 - 00 : 50 53
KADIRI R=E9da   22:15 - 01 : 20 82
RIH Naoufal     23:15 - 01 : 20 85
KADIRI Amal     22:15 - 11 : 20 13
LYAZIDI Ghita   23:19 - 02 : 40 134
MAANINOU Rachid 23:19 - 04 : 35 264
LYAZIDI Abdelkrim       23:45 - 04 : 50 273
LYAZIDI Annyssa 23:45 - 04 : 40 251
LYAZIDI Abdelkrim       23:20 - 04 : 40 251
LYAZIDI Youssef 23:45 - 04 : 50 248
LYAZIDI Chaymae 23:45 - 04 : 50 244
LAGHRISSI Nourdine      22:05 - 04 : 50 285
EL MELLOUKI Tarik       23:55 - 05 : 10 298
ELAMRANI Fouad  00:15 - 04 : 30 288
EL KHEDRI Ali   23:45 - 02 : 50 226
EL Khadri Hanane        23:45 - 01 : 50 75
BOUBNANE Amine  21:40 - 05 : 20 312
GRAIGAA Amine   21:45 - 05 : 50 325
Ahmed   23:45 - 05 : 50 293
Some reactions from Rabat Astronomical Observatory

Although the full Moon, I (TOUMA Hamid) was able to see some fireball
s from 00 h 10 mn until 05 h 45 I saw about 354 meteors. On 00 h 50 mn I
have seen the brightest reached on shooting star about -2 magnitude close
 to Taurus constellation ! Globally, It was a best meteor shower comparable
then that I have seen on 1998.
On the night 18-19 November 2002, Mr Samir KADIRI mentioned that he
had seen many or several meteors between 03 : 50 and 05 : 30 UT . These
meteors came from the West and going to the North East. He added that some
fireballs appeared from horizon to horizon, many of which were red and
green. He add also that there was one fireball per 15 or 20 seconds from 04
 h to 04 h 15 mn. So there was about 200 (250) fireballs per hour.
 During the night 18-19 November 2002, all family Lyazidi members mentioned
that they had seen many or several meteors between 00 : 50 and 04 : 30 UT .
 These meteors came from the Ursa Major or Leo constellation and
going to the Orion constellation or to the Moon direction. They added that
a few fireballs appeared from with red or green color in the horizon and
in the zenith. He add also that he estimated that there was one fireball
per 15 or 20 seconds from 04 h to 04 h 15 mn. So there was about 200 fireballs
per hour.
  Mrs Amine GRAIGAA and Amine BOUBNANE are mentioned that they had seen
 many and several meteors between 00 : 00 and 05 : 00. They was surprised
 by the color (red and green) of some ones between them.