(meteorobs) October 20, 2006 Meteor Observations from Southern California

[Robert Lunsford]

This was the first night of Orionid observations from Field Road, located 
off of Interstate 15 between Yermo and Baker, California. Robin Gray and I 
observed for six hours between local midnight and dawn. I arrived just at it 
became dark so by the time I prepared for the nights watch, I was only able 
to rest for three hours. By the time 0400 rolled around I was fighting 
fatigue and it shows in the decreasing meteor counts. The sky was perfectly 
clear the entire night but light domes reduced the limiting magnitude. A 
strong band of zodiacal light also reduced the LM later in the morning.

The Orionids put on a impressive display and also produced a -6 fireball. 
The Southern Taurids were present with an average of one per hour. The 
Epsilon Geminids were weak with only two shower members. The Northern 
Taurids and Leo Minorids failed to show up at all. it will be interesting to 
see what the video tapes show.

After it became too bright to view meteors I set up my telescope and viewed 
Saturn. I also aligned the scope so that we could do some daylight observing 
once we were rested. That's another story...more to follow!
---------------------------------------------
Observer: Robert Lunsford (LUNRO)
Date: 06-Oct-20 Mean Solar Long: 206.781
Beginning Time (UT) 0700 Ending Time (UT) 1300
Total TeFF: 5.00

LOCATION: Field Road, CA, USA
LONG: 116 33' 06" W LAT: 35 01' 49" N
Elevation: 630 m   Bortle Scale: Class 3: Rural Sky
Beginning Temperature/Relative Humidity: 54-48%
Ending Temperature/Relative Humidity: 45-54%
METHOD: Visual Recording on Tape/Video Recording
--------------------------
Showers Observed
EGE  06:56 (104) +27    00-00-02-00-00-01     3 Total
ORI  06:16 (094) +16    07-23-22-14-16-15   97 Total
STA  04:08 (062) +47    01-01-02-01-01-00     6 Total
SPO                               04-09-11-10-06-10   50 Total
Hourly Counts                12-33-36-26-23-26  156 Total
---------------------------
Period 1  0700-0800 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.47
FOV 045 +00   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00
Mean Solar Long: 206.670

Meteor Data:
EGE 0, ORI 7, STA 1, SPO 4, TOTAL 12

Magnitude Distribution
ORI -2 (1) 0 (1) +2 (1) +3 (2) +4 (1) +5 (1) Mean +2.14
STA +5 (1) Mean +5.00
SPO +2 (1), +3 (1) +4 (2)  Mean + 3.25
----------------------------
Period 2  0800-0900 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.54
FOV 060 +00   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00
Mean Solar Long: 206.771

Meteor Data:

EGE 0, ORI 23, STA 1, SPO 9, TOTAL 31

Magnitude Distribution
ORI -1 (1) 0 (3) +1 (7) +2 (1) +3 (6) +4 (5) Mean +2.00
STA +3 (1) Mean +3.00
SPO  0 (1) +2 (1), +3 (6) +5 (1)  Mean + 2.78
----------------------------
Period 3  0900-1000 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.65
FOV 075 +00   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00
Mean Solar Long: 275.752

Meteor Data:
EGE 2, ORI 22, STA 1, SPO 11, TOTAL 36

Magnitude Distribution
EGE +2 (1) +3 (1)  Mean +2.50
ORI  +1 (4) +2 (7) +3 (5) +4 (6)  Mean +2.59
STA +4 (1) Mean +1.00
SPO   0 (1) +2 (1), +3 (2) +4 (6) +5(1)  Mean + 3.36
----------------------------
Period 4  1000-1100 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.45
FOV 090 +00   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00
Mean Solar Long: 275.794

Meteor Data:
ORI 14, STA 2, SPO 10, TOTAL 26

Magnitude Distribution
ORI  -6 (1) 0 (3) +1 (2) +2 (5) +3 (3) Mean +1.07
STA   0 (1) +3 (1) Mean +1.50
SPO   0 (1) +2 (1), +3 (3) +4 (3) +5(2)  Mean + 3.30
----------------------------
Period 5  1100-1200 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.24
FOV 105 +00   TOTAL TeFF: 0.50
Mean Solar Long: 275.835

Meteor Data:
ORI 16, STA 1, SPO 6, TOTAL 23

Magnitude Distribution
ORI  -1 (1) 0 (1) +2 (1) +3 (7) +4 (5) +5 (1)  Mean +2.94
STA  +2 (1) Mean +2.00
SPO  +3 (4) +4 (1) +5(1)  Mean + 3.50
----------------------------
Period 6  1200-1300 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.08
FOV 120 +00   TOTAL TeFF: 0.50
Mean Solar Long: 275.877

Meteor Data:
1 EGE, ORI 15, SPO 10, TOTAL 26

Magnitude Distribution
EGE  +3 (1) Mean +3.00
ORI  -1 (2) 0 (2) +1 (3) +2 (3) +3 (3) +4 (2) Mean +1.60
SPO  -4 (1) +2 (1) +3 (3) +4 (4) +5 (1)  Mean + 1.86
-------------------------
Total Magnitude Distribution
EGE +2 (1) +3 (2)  Mean +2.67
ORI  -6 (1) -2 (1) -1 (4) 0 (10) +1 (16) +2 (18) +3 (26) +4 (19) +5 (2)
Mean +2.10
STA 0 (1) +2 (1) +3 (2) +4 (1) +5 (1)  Mean +2.83
SPO   -4 (1) 0 (3) +1 (0) +2 (5) +3 (20) +4 (15) +5 (6)  Mean +3.12