(meteorobs) Perseids 2005 from Florida

[Norman W. McLeod III]

The 2005 Perseids were disappointing for rates, especially bad for this 
year when I had hoped to see much more for a change.  No strong peak took 
place at all.  I was briefly fooled into thinking the rise was starting by 
a burst of 6 Perseids in a minute after 8 UT with several bright ones mixed 
in, but then it went almost dead.  The very low numbers of faint Perseids 
really held the numbers down.  I was also struck by the very low sporadic 
rates despite sky LM 6.8.

It was gratifying to hear of a similar shower from everywhere else.  Nobody 
was discordant.  Contrast that with 1980 when everybody differed on the 
shower rates and brightnesses.

Joan was with me.  We went to the home of Robert Riefer in eastern Lehigh 
Acres where the sky is still reasonable.  But it was the most uncomfortable 
night I have ever experienced with torrid temperatures, saturation 
humidity, mostly calm, and moderately buggy.  Had to run a mosquito coil 
for reasonable relief.  Setting up on damp grass exacerbated the humidity 
problem.  At the more remote site we set up on pavement.

Urbanization of this area is going gangbusters.  The days of excellent 
skies seem over with.  It hasn't been worth doing any routine work for 
several years now combined with travel difficulties : rising costs and more 
crowded roads.  Next time for a clear dark Geminid maximum I need to go 
deep Everglades for a couple of nights.  The weather itself has prevented 
most observing anyway.  Oddly, winter has become our clearest season but I 
don't have time to do anything then.  This is a booming economic area 
despite the hurricanes, great for everybody except astronomers.  No 
shortage of work to do, and house roofs still aren't completely repaired a 
year-plus after the storms.  No new damage here this year.  Katrina's rains 
just missed us while passing Miami, not good because of severe dryness in 
August-September here.  We got a little from Rita.

full-hour rates :
2005 August 12, MCLNO
Norman W. McLeod III

latitude 26.5 N, longitude 81.5 W, Lehigh Acres, Florida

326 - 426 EDT    726 - 826 UT    Teff 1.00    F1.00    LM 6.8    28 
PER    1 NDA    2 SPOR    31 TOTAL

426 - 526 EDT    826 - 926 UT    Teff 1.00    F1.00    LM 6.8    32 
PER    6 SPOR    38 TOTAL


Magnitude Distribution

2005 Perseid magnitudes by quarter-hour :

711 - 726 UT  -4 (0), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (1), +1 (1), +2 (1), +3 
(0), +4 (0), +5 (0)  Total 3

726 - 741 UT  -4 (0), -3 (0), -2 (1), -1 (0), 0 (0), +1 (2), +2 (1), +3 
(0), +4 (2), +5 (0)  Total 6

741 - 756 UT  -4 (0), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (1), +1 (0), +2 (2), +3 
(1), +4 (0), +5 (0)  Total 4

756 - 811 UT  -4 (1), -3 (1), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (1), +1 (0), +2 (0), +3 
(4), +4 (2), +5 (2)  Total 11

811 - 826 UT  -4 (1), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (1), 0 (0), +1 (0), +2 (2), +3 
(2), +4 (0), +5 (1)  Total 7

826 - 841 UT  -4 (0), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (0), +1 (2), +2 (2), +3 
(4), +4 (1), +5 (0)  Total 9

841 - 856 UT  -4 (1), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (0), +1 (0), +2 (1), +3 
(3), +4 (2), +5 (2)  Total 9

856 - 911 UT  -4 (0), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (0), +1 (0), +2 (3), +3 
(0), +4 (2), +5 (1)  Total 6

911 - 926 UT  -6 (1), -5 (0), -4 (0), -3 (0), -2 (0), -1 (0), 0 (1), +1 
(0), +2 (2), +3 (0), +4 (2), +5 (2)  Total 8

average Perseid magnitude +2.14 using 63 recorded in 2.25 hours LM 6.8.

---------------

sporadics  +1 (1), +2 (2), +3 (2), +4 (3), +5 (1)  Total 9, avg mag +3.11
Alpha Capricornids  0 (1)   Total 1
North Delta Aquarids  +3 (1)  Total 1

-------------

brightest Perseids :

800 UT  yellow  -4m  train 2s -- simultaneous with a +3m
808 UT  yellow  -3m  train 2s
813 UT orange  -4m  train 20s
844 UT  blue     -4m  train 2+s  seen through pine tree branches
918 UT  blue     -6m  train 30s

casual 928 UT  blue  -4m train 10s



Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society

Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod at peganet.com