(meteorobs) Some Perseids seen in Central VA! (Final Recap and Data)

[FELIX A MARTINEZ]

Last night, 11/12 August, I was able to observe meteors in three
different counties of Central Virginia.  Did not feel good about
traveling too far from Home (only ventured about sixty miles to the
Southeast), so I sacrificed seeing more meteors by not continuing further
east and south.  Oh well, the Geminids (my favorite meteor shower), is
under favorable conditions (moonlight conditions anyway) and the Perseids
next year may be even better (according to my lifelong Meteor observing
Mentor Norman McLeod III).  Glad to see that so many of You were able to
see a good showing from the Perseids.

Once I finally was able to stop driving and look up at 0330 UT (2330 EDT)
through a large dark hole (LM 6.5), within minutes I was blessed with two
nearly simultaneous Perseids (3rd & 4th magnitude), quickly followed by
another 3rd magnitude Perseid.  Highlight was a -2 magnitude Perseid @
0338 that was a beautiful orange-yellow with a two-second train.  Results
from the meteor "hunting" adventure are as follows:

Location - approx. eight miles East of Farmville, VA (Prince Edward
County)

0330 - 0350 UT
        Per 3.0 and Per 4.0        nearly simultaneous
        Per 3.0        seconds after the first two meteors 
                        (quickly realized that this was going to be a
very special                         night of meteor observing for those
in the clear!)
        Per 4.0
0338 Per -2        orange-yellow; 2 sec train
        Spor 5.0
        Per 3.0


Location - on the outskirts of Gladstone, VA (Nelson County)

0515 - 0530 UT
        Per 2.0        Green; 1 sec train
        Per 4.0
        Per 3.0


Location - back Home in Amherst County

Clouds covered sky so I listened to the pings on the Internet at
spaceweather.com (Naval Surv. Meteor Radar in Texas)
0644 - 0656 UT        heard 10 pings

0711        Per 2.0 Yellow

By 0815 UT, I headed to bed for a few hours.  Interesting to see that
there was some blue sky this morning around 1250 UT.  Wonder if those
breaks in the clouds that I was waiting for, finally materialized around
0900 UT or soon thereafter?

With the approach of Tropical Storm Bonnie (joining the cold front that
is just to our west) in our area tonight and tomorrow morning, there will
be a break from meteor observing tonight (12/13 August).  Hope to observe
again on Saturday morning (13/14 August), before the remnants of
Hurricane Charley arrive on Saturday afternoon and evening.  Not missing
my beloved Sunshine State right now!!

                        In Astronomical Affinity - Felix

        

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 02:29:38 -0400 FELIX A MARTINEZ <suejam1 at juno.com>
writes:
> Just got back from driving around in the Commonwealth of Virginia. 
> Managed to observe some nice Perseids (just East of Farmville on a 
> quiet
> Farm Road) through a large "sucker"  hole in the clouds.  The sky 
> was
> nice and dark (LM 6.5) in the sixty-degree hole.  Saw seven meteors
> (mostly Perseids including a gorgeous -2) between 0330 and 0350 UT.  
> Then
> I saw three more Perseids near Gladstone, Virginia in a short 
> session
> (0530 - 0545).  Will try some more from Home here in Amherst 
> County,
> Virginia, as it appears like these clouds may have some good breaks 
> in
> them over the next few hours.  Hope that many of You are already 
> enjoying
> the "Show" across North America!
>                In Astronomical Affinity - Felix
> 
> 
> On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 01:02:26 -0400 Richard Kramer <kramer at sria.com>
> writes:
> > At 10:56 PM 8/11/04 -0400, you wrote:
> > > > Have not seen any reports from the east coast yet!  Any one on 
> 
> > the
> > > > coast seeing anything yet?
> > 
> > I'm seeing lots of clouds  :(
> > 
> > Richard
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > Mailing list meteorobs
> > meteorobs at meteorobs.org
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> > 
> > 
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