(meteorobs) Geminid obs, Sharon Massachusetts, Dec 14

[Richard Kramer]

Ditched the dog. Switched the bifocals for full lens distance 
glasses. Headed to the edge of a snowy parking lot where I could 
settle my chair into the snow, partially shadowed from the moon by a 
thin line of trees. VOX tape recorder in my outside pocket. Quite 
cozy with the help of my fuzzy red blanket despite the OAT of 9F and 
a steady north wind of 15 mph, couldn't help but think how much 
luckier I am than Lew Gramer who has to battle those Florida 
mosquitos. Intermittently entertained by coyotes howling in the 
distance, the occasional restless vocalization of the non-migratory 
Canada geese, and a sporadic "laugh" by a mallard. The only problem 
was the frost accumulating on my glasses. The frosting eventually got 
so bad that I had to quit for the night.

Activity seemed to be episodic, dropping sharply beginning at 06:20 
UTC, with a brief burst around 06:40 then dropping off again. Despite 
the dismal LM, a satisfying total of 12 rather pretty, mostly bright 
Geminids in 42 minutes. I'm thinking seriously about switching to 
contact lenses to eliminate the eyeglass frosting problem.

---------
Richard Kramer Sharon MA USA
71 deg 10.87 min W   42 deg 6.53 min N  Elev 220 ft


EST 01:12 14 Dec to 01:54 14 Dec
UTC 06:12 14 Dec to 06:54 14 Dec

Shower observed Geminids  GEM

14 Dec 2005
UTC              Teff   LM     GEM    SPO    Total
06:12 - 06:22    0.17   3.5     4      2       6

Magnitude Distributions
          -3  -2  -1   0   1   2   3
GEM       0   1   0   1   2   0   0
SPO       0   0   0   0   0   0   2

-----

14 Dec 2005
UTC              Teff   LM     GEM    SPO    Total
06:22 - 06:37    0.25   3.5     2      1       3

Magnitude Distributions
          -3  -2  -1   0   1   2   3
GEM       0   0   1   0   1   0   0
SPO       0   0   0   0   0   0   1

---

14 Dec 2005
UTC              Teff   LM     GEM    SPO    Total
06:37 - 06:49    0.20   3.5     5      1       6

Magnitude Distributions
          -3  -2  -1   0   1   2   3
GEM       0   2   0   1   0   1   1
SPO       0   0   0   0   0   1   0

---

14 Dec 2005
UTC              Teff   LM     GEM    SPO    Total
06:49 - 06:54    0.08   3.5     1      0       1

Magnitude Distributions
          -3  -2  -1   0   1   2   3
GEM       2   0   0   0   0   1   0
SPO       0   0   0   0   0   0   0


Notes:
1. Obscuration 5% for shading from moon.
2. Additional obscuration during 06:22 - 06:37 of 15% due to frosting 
of glasses
3. Additional obscuration during 06:37 - 06:54 of 25% due to frosting 
of glasses
4. View centered halfway between Gemini and Cancer.
5. Colors consistently white for mag 0 and brighter, yellow for mag 2 
to 1, and reddish for mag 3.
6. Temperature 9 F, wind N 15 mph.