(meteorobs) Geminids vs. Sporadics?

[Bias, Peter V]

I was thinking the same thing.  I sat out last night for a half hour and
saw 18 Geminids but not one sporadic between 11:10 and 11:40 local time
(EST in Florida).  I didn't take data beyond that because I knew that I
wouldn't be able to stay out long, but it is striking that people seem
to be seeing so many sporadics and I don't see any at all.  Perhaps the
problem is that some (especially newer) observers tend to think that the
radiant is a pin point, the size of a star, when of course it is
generally much larger and diffuse.

Pete Bias
Lakeland Florida

> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org [mailto:meteorobs-
> bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of Ray Jones
> Sent: Wednesday, December 14, 2005 10:53 AM
> To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
> Subject: (meteorobs) Geminids vs. Sporadics?
> 
> I have a question:
> 
> A few of you reported a significantly higher
> number of sporadics than Geminids in the last
> couple of nights' recordings.
> 
> Is that common for this time of year, or is it
> possible they may have been Geminids that
> weren't absolutely classifiable?
> 
> Just curious.
> 
> Ray Jones
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