(meteorobs) Mr. Mom Observes Meteors from Central Virginia!!!

[FELIX A MARTINEZ]

Finally I had the opportunity to observe meteors again and it felt soooo
good to be out under the stars!!  This Summer has been challenging
finding any time since I am spending most of my time caring for Our
Children as my Wife, Suzannah continues to work during the Summer.  Plus
the weather has been very uncooperative here in Central Virginia (summer
haze, thunderstorms, and very often cloudy).  This all caused me to miss
the exciting activity from the June Bootids.  Nevertheless, it cleared
and turned cooler for a decent enough night of meteor observations.  The
results are as follows:


Observer - Felix A. Martinez 

Location - Backyard of Home in Amherst County, Virginia
  (37 degrees 26 minutes North Latitude/079 degrees 07 West Longitude)

Observing Time - 0505 to 0805 UT

Air Temperature - 17 degrees Celsius at start and 14 degrees Celsius at
end

Showers Observed - Alpha Cygnids (ACyg), Alpha Capricornids (ACap), North
Delta Aquarids (NDA), South Delta Aquarids (SDA), Perseids (Per), Pisces
Austrinids (PAU) and Sporadics (Spor)



0425 UT        ACyg        2.0        Blue        Casually Observed
before setup


0505-0605   1 ACyg   1 ACap   2 Spor                                  6.0
LM/.90 Teff


0605-0705   1 ACyg   1 SDA   1 NDA   2 PAU   3 Per   3 Spor  6.0+ LM/.95
Teff


0705-0805           1 PAU        1 Per        4 Spor                  
6.0 LM/.85 Teff


Comments:  Very interesting and eye-pleasing to see the 3 PAU meteors
(long and slow to medium speed coming up out of the deep South)!  My
seven-year old son (Jason) joined me for about thirty minutes of casual
observing between 0805 and 0835.  Very little in the way of meteor
activity then, but we did see high-flying airplanes, satellites and I
showed Him the effects of the light pollution from Lynchburg to Our SSW. 
Also showed Him the bright band of light in our ENE (Zodiacal Light). 

Jason, my Wife and and my almost four-year old daughter plan on joining
me for some of the Perseid Observing Period (09 - 15 August).  Still
looking and trying to decide on a place between South Florida and New
England that We can go for a vacation between 07 and 15 August that would
have the best chance for being clear for observing the Perseids.  Like I
said, good to be back under the stars again!!

                        In Astronomical Affinity - Felix A. Martinez