(meteorobs) Detailed info of Perseid max from N. FLA

Paul Jones jonesp0854 at yahoo.com
Wed Aug 18 09:57:01 EDT 2004


Greetings all,
        Sorry for delay in getting out a more detailed version of my Perseid max night report.  I had a bit of a family crisis awaiting me upon my return home after observing on max night, so everything got thrown back a few days as a result.  My apologies to Peter Boyle of MSNBC for not responding sooner to his request to use my earler post comments on the article he was doing about Perseids observations from storm-torn Florida.  I was indeed not expecting to see anything at all, so I was a bit unprepared.  Besides, I found Lew's and Norman's adventures far more interesting than mine.   
 
Date/Time:  August 11/12, 2004      0920 -1020 UT  (1.00 hour Teff) 
Location:   Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, St. Augustine, Florida
LM:  5.4  (mainly light pollution degradation)
Sky Conditions:  20% clouds in western sky, some haze and high humidity
Direction facing:  Due north (full horizons in all directions)  
 
51 Perseids   1 Kappa Cygnid    1 South Iota Aqr.  8 sporadics    61 total meteors
 
Perseid magnitude distribution:
 
Magnitudes:         -2        -1         0         1         2        3        4        5
Number seen:       1         3         2         6        13       17       6        3
 
14 of the 51 Perseids left visible trains.
Color was noticed in 8 of the 51 Perseids and all eight were yellow.
One second magnitude Perseid point meteor was seen directly on the radiant.
 
Narrative comments:
Due to the relatively bright LM and some haze/cloud interference, I'm sure I missed many fainter magnitude Perseids.  The display I saw this year was not a very bright one, compared to past years observations.  Also, I have to admit my eyesight is not what it used to be twenty five years ago.  The Perseid activity this year was fairly steady in pace with a couple of minor bursts of two to three in quick sucession (within one minute of each other). No simultaneous Perseids were seen.  Most Perseids appeared singley.  It is always neat to have the radiant near the meridian, as the meteors can be seen shooting out in every direction all over the entire sky.  I always find that my alertness is enhanced by this.  Since I was only able to get in one hour, I have no impression of activity variation from hour to hour, but from the IMO summary, I feel the ZHR estimate covering the hour I was out is very accurate indeed.   Well done to all who reported and sorry to Kim Youmans who was
 "Bonnied-in" as we have missed yet another opportunity to double station.   
 
Paul in still slightly frayed Florida
  


		
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