(meteorobs) Perseid peak night observation August 11/12, ATAJU

[George Gliba]

On Wed, Aug 25, 2004 at 12:25:08PM -0400, Bias, Peter V wrote:
>  Hi Paul, Michel and others:
> 
>   Your discussion about the Perseids in 1977 took me back to the great Perseid shower of 1969.  If my memory serves, the legendary Norman McCleod III also mentioned (the old Meteor News) that he saw a magnificent display back in 1969.  At near 5:00 am EST (local time for Cincinnati, where I was) the per-minute rates (not ZHRs) were between 4 and 5 every minute until approaching dawn squelched the view about 15 minutes later.  Unbelievable shower.  In my mind's eye I can still see those Perseids bursting and dashing toward the northern and eastern horizons.  I saw the '81 Perseids shower, which was great, but it was not up to the '69 shower.  As a matter of fact, only the Leonids in 2001 and 2002 have surpassed it (rate-wise) and only the Leonids of '98 and '01 surpassed it in beauty.

I remember seeing a few Perseids during the morning of the 1969 peak while 
waiting in line for 4:30am breakfast while at Air Force boot camp at Lackland
AFB. Although I was unhappy at the time, seeing those Perseids cheered me up.

The moon spoiled the 1968 display, but rates were good too, but I don't recall
what they were. The 1967 Perseids were the best I've seen, when I saw 103 the
last hour before dawn with no moon.


GWG