[meteorite-list] Fwd: Some Geminid Reports (from meteorobs-digest V4 #1052)

From: Robert Verish <bolidechaser_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:53:35 2004
Message-ID: <20021217002011.88054.qmail_at_web80307.mail.yahoo.com>

While it is still quiet, thought I would supply some
recent meteor shower reports:

------------------
> meteorobs-digest Sunday, December 15 2002
> Volume 04 : Number 1052
>
> (meteorobs) Geminids from East Central GA
> (meteorobs) Geminids on Vancouver Island
> (meteorobs) Geminids
> (meteorobs) Geminids
> (meteorobs) North Carolina Clouded out as well
> (meteorobs) METEOR OBSERVATIONS CONTINUED
> (meteorobs) Geminids
> (meteorobs) GEM Obs from Hawaii - Good show!
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 08:48:14 -0500
> From: <ksyo_at_bellsouth.net>
> Subject: (meteorobs) Geminids from East Central GA
>

> The day started with rain, lots of rain, but
> thankfully it did =
> end with a meteor shower. The rain ended and
> amazingly, by dark, things =
> were clearing out very nicely here. I cautiously
> gathered my gear and =
> headed for my site. A few clouds began moving
> through around 10:00 =
> local time and by 11:30 the skies began alternating
> between 0% to 70% =
> cloudy. It was impossible to gauge the "F" so I put
> away my recorder, =
> hoping things would clear out completely. It never
> did.
> But, wow, those geminids were active! Even
> with the moon and =
> clouds, I had a raw count of 84 Geminds between
> 10:35 and 1:05. From =
> 12:00 to 1:00 I counted 45. But as the moon got
> lower the clouds =
> increased and after 2:00 I was very limited in what
> I was able to see. =
> The Geminids were not too bright, with only a
> handful in the -2 to +1 =
> range. They were not too colorful, either. The
> clouds took over and I =
> finally called it quits at 3:00 and went home for a
> "nap."
> In a way, it was nice just to lie back and
> watch and not worry =
> with magnitudes, times and star counts.
>
> Kim Youmans
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 07:42:30 -0800
> From: Ed Majden <epmajden_at_shaw.ca>
> Subject: (meteorobs) Geminids on Vancouver Island
>
> The Geminids at Courtenay on Vancouver Island,
> B.C. where not only
> clouded out but rained out with strong winds. The
> bird perch device on top
> of the Sandia convex all-sky camera got detached
> again so when the rains
> stop it will mean another trip up on the roof for
> repairs. I still haven't
> had a chance to test the new Sandia fisheye all-sky
> running the auto record
> and detect software Sentinel. This weather is
> getting very frustrating!
>
> Ed Majden - Sandia Bolide Detection Station -
> Courtenay B.C. CANADA
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 12:00:56 EST
> From: KCStarguy_at_aol.com
> Subject: (meteorobs) Geminids
>
> Olathe, KS
>
> I got home slept for few hours and then got up to
> watch the Geminids from
> 3:00-4:30. Completely clear . I put a blanket in the
> sleeping bag and things
> were cozier. I should have thought of that for the
> Leonids when I was freezing most of the time.
>
> It was a very nice show as I saw 23 meteors. Most
> were Geminids and very
> bright (0 to -2 magnitude) white, yellow or blue and
> very slow .5 to .75 a second, with few train/trails.

> No sky splitters (super bright ones).
> Saw 21 of them from 3am- 4am and then it decreased
> rapidly as I only saw 3 until I quit. I did not
> think the Geminids peaked that sharply.
> I was disappointed more did not appear after 4.
>
> It was worth a look.
>
> Dr.Eric Flescher (kcstarguy_at_aol.com)
> member, Astronomical Society of Kansas City (ASKC)-
> Solar System Ambassador 2002 JPL(Jet Propulsion Lab)

>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 11:30:25 -0600
> From: "C. F. Jones" <cafjones_at_ameritech.net>
> Subject: (meteorobs) Geminids
>
> The sky remained cloudy overnight in Southeastern
> Wisconsin, USA.
> Not able to see any activity because of conditions.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 16:16:38 -0800
> From: "Thom Morgan" <bassman_at_intrex.net>
> Subject: (meteorobs) North Carolina Clouded out as
> well
>
> Conditions where unfavorable here in North Carolina
> as well, the sky did clear up just in time for
> sunrise. Might try some post peak viewing Dec 14/15.
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 16:42:32 EST
> From: RobDonRe_at_aol.com
> Subject: (meteorobs) METEOR OBSERVATIONS CONTINUED
>
> Summary: 2002.12.12-13
> Begin: 22:20 PST (06:20 UT)
> End: 02:30 PST (10:30 UT)
> Location: Lat. 39.11N Long. 119.45W Elev. 1433M
> (4700ft)
> Site: Carson City, Nevada USA
>
> Observed showers: GEM ORI TAU SPO
> LM: 5.5 (Average for the session)
> Bortle scale: 4 to 5 (Varied through the session)
> Recording method: Paper and pencil
>
> Period (10 minute intervals)
> GEM ORI TAU SPO
> 22:20 - 22:30 PST
> 1 0 0 0
> 22:30 - 22:40 "
> 0 1 1 1
> 22:40 - 22:50 "
> 1 0 0 0
> 22:50 - 23:00 "
> 0 0 0 0
> 23:00 - 23:10 "
> 0 0 0 0
> 23:10 - 23:20 "
> 0 0 0 0
> 23:20 - 23:30 "
> 0 0 0 0
> 23:30 - 23:40 "
> 1 0 0 0
> 23:40 - 23:50 "
> 1 0 0 0
> 23:50 - 00:00 "
> 0 0 0 0
> 00:00 - 00:10 "
> 0 0 0 0
> 00:10 - 00:20 "
> 1 0 1 1
> 00:20 - 00:30 "
> 0 1 0 0
> 00:30 - 00:40 "
> 2 0 0 0
> 00:40 - 00:50 "
> 0 0 1 0
> 00:50 - 01:00 "
> 0 0 0 1
> 01:00 - 01:10 "
> 1 0 0 0
> 01:10 - 01:20 "
> 1 0 0 1
> 01:20 - 01:30 "
> 0 0 1 1
> 01:30 - 01:40 "
> 0 1 0 0
> 01:40 - 01:50 "
> 0 0 1 0
> 01:50 - 02:00 "
> 1 0 0 0
> 02:00 - 02:10 "
> 1 0 0 0
> 02:10 - 02:20 "
> 3 0 0 0
> 02:20 - 02:30 "
> 0 0 0 0
>
> Totals:
> 22:20 - 02:30 4hrs 10min
> 14 3 4 5
>
> Magnitude distribution:
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6
Tot
> GEM
>0 1 0 2 1 0 3 2 4 1 0 0
14
> ORI
>0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
3
> TAU
>0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0
4
> SPO
>0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 2 0 1
8
>
> Totals:
>0 1 1 3 2 1 5 4 5 3 0 1
26
>
> Color distribution:
> White: 13
> Yellow/white: 1
> Yellow: 7
> Blue: 1
> Blue/white: 4
>
> Breaks:
> 23:11 - 23:21 PST (10 min) Reposition
> equipment/personal break.
> 00:27 - 00:35 " ( 8 min) Personal break.
>
> 01:27 - 01:29 " ( 2 min) Reposition
> equipment.
>
> Notes:
> 1) The Bortle scale varied through the course of
> this session due to variable cloudiness, moonlite,
> and occasional home security lighting.
> 2) Limiting magnitude also varied during the
> session from a low of +2 to a high of +7
> due to the same reasons listed in note 1.
> 3) Again, all of the SPO's noted radiated from
> inside AURIGA.
> 4) The -4 Geminid was blue in color. It presented
> a short, translucent train that disappeared fast.
> There was a small flare as the meteor disappeared
> from view.
> This meteor traveled about 40 degrees towards
> the west, and was sighted at 00:18 PST (08:18 UT).
> 5) The -3 Orionid was a fast meteor, white in
> color. This meteor disappeared, then reappeared very

> briefly before it flared. There was a small debris
> trail as it flared.
> This meteor was sighted just west of
> Betelgeuse, and traveled west for about 30 degrees.
> It was sighted at 01:32 PST (09:32 UT).
> 6) All in all, I was fortunate the cloud cover was
> scattered. At two points in the session the cloud
> cover completely obscured any view. Most cloud cover

> was thin, fortunately, and I did enjoy two long
> periods of very clear sky.
> Our predicted stormy weather has arrived though, and

> a viewing session for 13-14 has been clouded out.
> It remains to be seen what will happen to the
> tonight(14-15).
>
> CLEAR SKIES AND PLENTIFUL COUNTS,
> R. MORGAN
> CARSON CITY, NEVADA USA
> 39.11N 119.45W elev. 1433 m (4700 ft)
>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 16:22:48 -0600
> From: Paul Martsching <pmartsching_at_mchsi.com>
> Subject: (meteorobs) Geminids
>
> I went out to western Iowa last night (13/14 Dec
> local time) to watch the Geminids.
> It was not too cold (37-26 degrees F) and it was an
> unusually dry night for Iowa and the Moon did not
> interfere before it
> set as badly as it usually does here. (Moonset ~230
> am CST) Clear all
> night. My best one hour Geminid count was 79 during
> the hour 300-400 am
> CST (900-1000 UT). Only six fireballs (mag. -4+):
> one of mag. -5 with a
> train lasting 2 seconds and five of mag. -4. The
> majority of the
> Geminids were white with quite a few yellow or
> orange and several of the
> brightest light blue-green. My best 10 minute
> Geminid count (17) was
> 220-230 am CST (820-830 UT) when I changed
> directions (the Moon had set)
> and etc and had my head down for a total of about 2
> minutes! As usual
> the Geminids were very clumpy. It was a very nice
> Geminid experience!
>
> Limiting magnitude at beginning ~5.5; by Moonset
> 6.5; after 600 am CST
> gradually worsening to 6.0 because of morning
> twilight affecting the
> western sky.
> GEM MON SHYD COM SPOR
>
> 650-700 UT 11 - - - -
> 700-710 10 - - - -
> 710-720 8 - - - -
> 720-730 9 - - - -
> 730-740 10 - - - -
> 740-750 8 - 1 - 1
> 750-800 9 - - - -
> 800-810 5 1 - - -
> 810-820 8 - - - -
> 820-830 17 - - - 1
> (tef only 8 min)
> 830-840 8 - - - -
> 840-850 6 - - - -
> 850-900 4 - - - -
> 900-910 14 - - - 1
> 910-920 15 - - - -
> 920-930 14 - - - -
> 930-940 8 - - - -
> 940-950 14 - - - -
> 950-1000 14 - - - -
> 1000-1010 11 - 1 - 1
> 1010-1020 6 - - 1 1
> 1020-1030 9 - - 2 1
> 1030-1040 7 - - - 1
> 1040-1050 10 - - 1 -
> 1050-1100 4 - 1 - -
> 1100-1110 7 - - - 1
> 1110-1120 9 - 1 - -
> 1120-1130 8 - - - -
> 1130-1140 9 - - - -
> 1140-1150 8 - - - 1
> 1150-1200 8 - - - -
> 1200-1210 11 - - - -
> 1210-1220 8 - - - 1
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sat, 14 Dec 2002 20:34:40 -0500 (EST)
> From: Michael Linnolt <mlinnolt_at_alum.mit.edu>
> Subject: (meteorobs) GEM Obs from Hawaii - Good
> show!
>
> After last months LEO debacle, I really needed a
> reliable shower to calm my frazzled nerves! So,
> the Geminids stepped up to bat, and hit a home run!
> Rather than risk flying to another island, I drove
up
> to our north shore dark sky site. The weather
forecasts looked good - strong inversion, light winds,
dry atmosphere, no cirrus. It all added up to a mostly
crystal clear night of meteor observing. Of course I
spent a lot of time looking thru my scope at all kinds
of DSO, variable stars and the 2 comets RX14 and V1,
as well! Several times a GEM came zipping across my
> eyepiece field. One was bright enough to leave a
nice persistent train which I followed a few seconds
in the scope.
>
> Overall the GEM rates were as good as can be
> expected, I counted 52 in a half hour after moonset,
and 27 while the moon was high, but that was at 10UT,
the peak exactly. Only 3 fireballs, but one was -10
that I saw while I just looked up from my scope to
find a DSO! I stared right at it and the brightness
was almost painful.
>
> Hopefully there will be some action from the Ursids
> or Quads to round out the season...
>
> Aloha & Clear skies to all!
> Mike Linnolt
>
> Report Follows:
>
> OBS: Mike Linnolt (LINMI)
> DATE: Dec 14, 2002
> TIME: 1000 - 1400 UT (12:00am-4:00am HST night of
> Dec 13/14)
> LOC: Dillingham, Oahu, HI (21 34' N, 158 12m W)
> ELEV: 5m
> Conditions: Mostly Clear. Temp 70F. RH 99%. Winds
> Calm.
> METHOD: Paper
>
>
> Observing Periods Summary:
>
> # Period(UT) FOV Teff F LM GEM VEL MON ANT
> SPO
> ---------- --- ---- - --- --- --- --- ---
> ---
> 1 1000-1031 06h+10 0.50 1.04 5.9 27 1 1 6
> 7
> 2 1325-1400 07h+30 0.53 1.00 6.4 52 3 2 2
> 14
>
>
> Periods Detail:
>
> Period #1:
> - ----------
>
> Mag -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6
> - ------------------------------------
> GEM: 1 0 0 0 1 3 3 7 8 4 0 = 27
> VEL: 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 = 1
> MON: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 = 1
> ANT: 0 0 0 0 1 2 2 0 0 1 0 = 6
> SPO: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 6 0 = 7
>
> DEAD TIME: 1 min
>
> Period #2:
> - ----------
>
> Mag -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6
> - ------------------------------------
> GEM: 1 0 0 0 5 7 8 12 14 5 0 = 52
> VEL: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 = 3
> MON: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 = 2
> ANT: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 = 2
> SPO: 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 3 4 4 1 = 14
>
> DEAD TIME: 3 min
>
> END OF REPORT.
>
> ------------------------------
> Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 02:17:07 -0500
> From: "ron z" <lightdrz_at_hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Re: Geminids slight chance
> in Florida
>
> <html><div style='background-color:'><DIV>
> <P>leonids and geminids from south east florida as
> follows</P>
> <P>clouds 2</P>
> <P>observer 0</P>
> <P>will still keep looking</P>
> <P>clear skies</P>
> <P>ron<BR><BR></P></DIV>
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 06:26:48 -0600
> From: Tom Fleming <enders_gt_at_juno.com>
> Subject: (meteorobs) Southern cold
>
> One of my coldest memories was watching the '66
> Leonids (the night before
> the storm) on the hood of a car for three hours and
> a half hours. I was
> in the Rio Grande Valley-about as far south as you
> can get in the U.S.
> The temp was 42 deg. F , the relative humidity was
> 95% (we fogged out at
> 5 AM) and the elevation was less than 100 feet above
> sea level. The
> humidity and elevation made for a 'cold soak'
> bordering on hypothermia.
> If I had to guess, I would equate it to 5 or 10
> above in Denver.
>
> Anyway, being now older and smarter (seemingly) I
> laid out about $130 for
> some serious gear that makes me look like the
> Pillsbury Dough Boy in
> black. It includes pants, coat and hood. I also
> wear some snow boots.
> Most sporting goods or outdoor wear places should
> have it. I recommend
> this for all of the dedicated southern observers who
> may be using your
> 'everyday' cold weather gear. It makes the obs
> session so much more
> enjoyable.
>
> Tom
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 09:12:26 -0500
> From: smkolins_at_mac.com
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Southern cold
>
> On Sunday, December 15, 2002, at 07:26 AM, Tom
> Fleming wrote:
>
> > Anyway, being now older and smarter (seemingly) I
> > laid out about $130 for
> > some serious gear that makes me look like the
> > Pillsbury Dough Boy in black....
>
> We've found that a couple bottles of warm water help
> a great deal too.
>
> = - - - - - - - =
> Steven Kolins
> mailto:smkolins_at_mac.com
> http://homepage.mac.com/smkolins/
> Possess a pure, kindly and radiant heart!
>
> ------------------------------
>
> Date: Sun, 15 Dec 2002 08:55:15 -0600
> From: "-----c-HArlie" <charlies_at_junct.com>
> Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Southern cold
>
> From: <smkolins_at_mac.com>
>
>
> >
> > On Sunday, December 15, 2002, at 07:26 AM, Tom
> Fleming wrote:
> >
> > > Anyway, being now older and smarter (seemingly)
> > > ...
> > We've found that a couple bottles of warm water
> help a great deal too.
>
> When I'm outside for extended periods in cold
> weather, I wear in the following order:
> full-body china silk underwear
> www.sportsmansguide.com
> foam thermals, www.sportsmansguide.com
> regular clothes,
> athletic polyester warmup pants and jackets,
> china silk balaclava www.sportsmansguide.com
> water-proof boots
> wool gloves and hat
> and finally a coat.
>
> Cold, bad. Warmth, good.
>
> Charlie
>
> ------------------------------
>
> End of meteorobs-digest V4 #1052
> ********************************
>
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Received on Mon 16 Dec 2002 07:20:11 PM PST