(meteorobs) Possible Draconids tonight

[RainerArlt]

Possible Draconids tonight, 2004 Oct 5-6
----------------------------------------

Accoding to dust trail computations by Mikiya Sato
(http://www.nms.gr.jp/prediction-bysato.html), the 
Draconid meteor shower may provide enhanced activity 
on 2004 Oct 5, between 22h and 23h UT.

It will be great if a large number of observations
can be collected for the 2004 Draconids. I would
like to give some recommendations for visual obser-
vations.

(i)   The peak time refers to the morning hours of
      Oct 6 over Asian countries.

(ii)  Northern latitudes are favoured as the radiant
      does go very low to the horizon during night.

(iii) The bright gibbous Moon disturbs a lot -- viewing
      fields are probably best towards the south-west
      and west, close to the radiant.

(iv)  The Moon will reduce meteor numbers -- never-
      theless, try to report 10-minute periods.
      Also provide magnitude distributions for the
      same 10-minute periods (Draconids only).

(v)   Draconid meteor move very slowly. The speed
      is a very useful property for shower discrimi-
      nation. If the meteor was of moderate speed, it 
      was _never_ a Draconid. If the activity reaches 
      only a few per hour, this distinction is crucial.

As usual, observations can be either sent to the
meteorobs at meteorobs.org mailing list, or to me directly
at rarlt at aip.de

Let me wish all of you success, who will try to
watch out for Draconids despite the Moon.


Best wishes,
Rainer


-- 
Rainer Arlt  --  Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam -- www.aip.de
Visual Commission - International Meteor Organization -- www.imo.net
rarlt at aip.de --  phone: +49-331-7499-354  --  fax: +49-331-7499-526