(meteorobs) shifting Quadrantids

[Norman W. McLeod III]

Bob wrote,

>I recall back in 2001 the Quad max was predicted near 1200 UT but did not 
>occur until several hours later.

I had this incident in mind.  Looks like we better plan on watching closely 
again in 3 years in America.    Waning crescent moon, quick and dirty 
method.  Best years have become the leap years.  The previous scheme lasted 
from 1973 (Mark Adams saw 67/hr from Pennsylvania ; I was fogged out from 
central Florida), through 1985 ( I saw 32/hr in increasing cirrus from a 
cold front, no doubt it could have been over 60/hr even this far south), to 
1997 ( 61/hr with a moon 2 days past last quarter).  The scheme finally 
broke down in 2001.

It's too bad the chilly observers in Yellowknife didn't see more than they 
did, for the effort they made.  A hundred-degree F difference between there 
and here, just amazing.  From that high latitude they could get some 
interesting results from the Quadrantids every year.  Got to have a clear 
sky, first.

Norman




Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society

Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod at peganet.com