(meteorobs) Fw: Impressive Geminid shower above the French Vosges

[Michel Vandeputte]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: Michel Vandeputte 
To: meteorobs at yahoogroups.com ; Rainer Arlt ; visual at imo.net 
Sent: Sunday, December 17, 2006 11:00 AM
Subject: Impressive Geminid shower above the French Vosges 


Hi folks,

I observed the Geminids from the top of the French Vosges, about 550 km away from home. I enjoyed two session ; the main maximum night and the post max night. This mail contains the results from the first night. I worked in 5 minute intervals for both nights. Rates were great with a highest 5' count of 17 Geminids. Some minute intervals gave rates up to 8 Geminids, sometimes three at ones! Weak meteors were dominating, but there were also some very bright shower fireballs up tot minus 8! Before 20UT and after 5UT it wasn't possible to observe because a thick layer of cirrus clouds was moving in from the west. So I was very lucky with the good conditions for the rest of the night. The post maximum night was cristal clear; but I still have to listen to the data...One word: 'wow'!!! 
Enjoy this report.

Michel. 


VISUAL OBSERVING FORM - SUMMARY REPORT 

Night: December 13 - December 14    Year    2006 
Observer: Michel Vandeputte    IMO code: VANMC
Place: Feu du Champ (France) - northern Vosges mountain chain  (48°24'10" N - 07°16'37" E - alt  1050 m)
Period: 20.20 - 05.05 UT
Method: counting in 5' intervals - tape recorder. 
Field: north eastern directions, southwestern directions after moonrise.  
Weather conditions: clear skies, frosty conditions (-2 degrees), cirrus before 20UT and  after 5UT. No fog.


Observed showers: 

Geminids (alfa: 112° / delta +33°)


Interval analyse (hourly counts) 

period (UT)     Teff        F        Lm     GEM        SPOR

20.20-21.20    1.00    1.00    6.70        68        8
21.20-22.20    1.00    1.00    6.70        94        8
22.20-23.20    1.00    1.00    6.70       109      15
23.20-00.20    1.00    1.00    6.70       119      16
00.20-01.20    1.00    1.00    6.70       123      13
01.20-02.20    1.00    1.00    6.70       124      12
02.20-03.20    1.00    1.00    6.65       116      10
03.20-04.20    1.00    1.00    6.60        83       14
04.20-05.05    0.75    1.00    6.60        58       15

20.20-05.05    8.75                           894       111 = 1005 meteors

        
Magnitude distributions 894 Geminids 

-8: 1
-6 :1
-4: 2
-3: 2
-2: 5
-1: 19
+0: 26
+1: 58
+2: 205
+3: 270
+4: 238
+5: 67

Remarks: 

full report in 5 minute intervals will follow for the IMO database.