(meteorobs) dud 2005 Quadrantids SW Florida

[Norman W. McLeod III]

Almost nothing happened from the 2005 Quadrantids despite a fully clear 
sky.  I limited the watch to the last couple of hours considering the moon 
was out, and a work day was coming.  Looks like the earlier time was well 
spent sleeping.

2005 Jan 3 UT   418 - 558 EST  918 - 1058 UT    Teff 1.67  F 1.0   LM 
5.8   6 QUA    5 SPO   11 Total

Quadrantid magnitudes :  -1(2)   0(1)   1(2)   2(0)   3(1)
sporadic magnitudes : 0(1) 1(1)   2(1)   3(1)   4(1)

There was a casual white-blue  -3m Quad seen while setting up.  The  -1m's 
were white-blue and orange, both +1m's were blue, and the 0m was 
yellow.  All Quad colors were of pastel intensity.  The brightest sporadic 
was intense yellow.

Where was the main body of Quadrantids this year?  Definitely not over the 
eastern American zone.  Maybe it has shifted westward.  That seems to have 
started happening in 2001.  I was more than a little surprised at the poor 
numbers despite a reasonably good sky.  Temperature was about 58F.  Joan 
came along, and managed to see 6 meteors herself.  In 1997 I was about the 
only one with clear sky in the U.S. also.  Been doing better with 
Quadrantids here than with most of the other showers for a good many years.

Norman




Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society

Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod at peganet.com