(meteorobs) Ursids from Alberta -- abbreviated report

[Bruce McCurdy]

I had never observed the Ursids except for one unsatisfactory session from 
my urban backyard three years ago. This year I was determined to see them 
from a dark site, so headed out to Beaver Hills Dark Sky Preserve in the 
not-so-wee hours to observe as close to the peak as possible. Alas, the sky 
was absolutely alive with aurora, which while mostly faint was pulsating 
rapidly and quite detrimental to my observing efforts. Despite mostly clear 
skies, limiting magnitude was just in the 5.0 to 5.5 range, with 
distractions.

Nonetheless in two hours Teff (2006 Dec. 22 1030-1230 UT; 3:30-5:30 MST) I 
observed some 27 total meteors, including 14 Ursids, 2 Antihelions, 4 Coma 
Berenicids, and 7 sporadics. This "count" was done listening to my tape on 
the trip home and trying to keep a mental count while driving at highway 
speeds at 6 a.m., so may be less than deadly accurate.

Many of the meteors I did see were pretty faint. The best was the first, a 
gorgeous -1 slow Ursid less than five degrees from Kochab which allowed me 
to fairly definitively establish the radiant.

I will give my tape another listen when I can for times and magnitude 
estimates and provide a more detailed report, but realistically that might 
take a few days.

Bruce
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