(meteorobs) South Delta Aq. 2003 near max 7/29-30 nite from KS USA late report

Bertunit at aol.com Bertunit at aol.com
Sat Jul 23 20:28:34 EDT 2005


I did the workup on this particular nite's 3 hour session late in 2003 but 
haven't
posted it yet and figured this time of the year it is of the most interest.

I am near 38.5 degrees N latitude in E Central KS, and got my record Delta 
Aquarid count ever this nite, when they pounded out 19 members (5 N & 14 S)
the final hour.  Seven Southern Delta Aq.s in a row after 3 am  in the final
period!

They were slightly brighter than most apparitions, see the magnitude table 
breakdown.

Four Perseid forerunners in the mix, and the best meteor of the nite went to 
the
N Apex source with a -2 terminal bursting reddish meteor with a 2 second train
leaving a long trail in the sky a quarter past 2 am late in the 2nd period.

DATE - 2003 July 29/30 1230-338 am (8 min break)
           2003 July 30 UT 0530-0838

Conditions - 74 degrees, a bit muggy, with S breeze 5 MPH. I observed from
N end of lake looking out over the main body of the reservoir. 

OBSERVER - Bert G Matous (MATBE)
SITE - Rutlader, KS Louisburg Middle Creek Lake
         +38.5 N 94  37' W    
28.5 miles S of my residence in Overland Park KS
FACING FOV - S @ 60 degrees Period 1 & 2, SSE @ 50 degrees the 
                       final period.

zenithal star per period - +6.4,  +6.4, +6.25
Observing method - Notepad recording without looking down.
Total Time - 3:00
Total Meteors Seen - 80
23 S Delta Aq.s, 11 N Delta Aq.s, 34 Sporadics, 5 Alpha Capricornids, 
4 Perseids, 3 ANT/SiA's. 

1230-0130 CDT - (20) 3P, 3 SDA, 3 NDA, 1 AC, 10 Spor.
0530-0630 UT

0130-0230 CDT - (26) 1 P, 6 SDA, 3 NDA, 3 AC, 12 Spor(1 NApex), 1 ANT
0630-0730 UT

0238-0338 CDT - (34) 14 SDA, 5 NDA, 1 AC, 2 ANT/SiA, 1 KCyg, 11 Spor.
0738-0838 UT

Observing Notes - Obvious life of activity of sporadic origin from lower
righthand side of the square of Pegasus. Near or at maximum activity
for the Delta Aquarids, they dominated the last hour while middle period
had some nice qualtiy members too. Spectacular N Apex shooting low 
out of the E into the NE sky, the only meteor of the eve. with a train, of
2 sec. duration, meteor was reddish in color.
I continue to note sporadics during late
July and early Aug. from near Altair and this nite was no exception with
a couple magnitude +2's. 

MAGNITUDE BREAKDOWN CHART -

SDA's:  -1(1), 0(2), +1(3), +2(9), +3(5), +4(2), +5(1)      
NDA's:  +1(1), +2(1), +3(5), +4(2), +5(1), +6(1)
ACAP:  +2(1), +3(3), +5(1)
ANT -    +3(1), +4(2) {also called SiA's by me)
KCyg:   +2(1)
PER:    0(1), +2(1), +4(1), +5 (1)
Spor:    -2(1), -1(1), +2(8), +3(9), +4(7), +5(6), +6(2)

A last comment is that the hours after dark are the MOST productive
and exciting of the year for the observers who can't for work and other
reasons get out later in the nite toward dawn.  Grazers are possible
from the Delta Aquarids in late July right as it is getting dark, and the
moon in 2005 also will see observers making an earlier in the nite
effort.  Good luck on this year's weather at month's end!

Bert G Matous
    


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