(meteorobs) Post Maximum Geminids from southern Maryland

Richard Taibi rjtaibi at hotmail.com
Sun Dec 16 10:53:23 EST 2007



Clouds and fog obliterated the Geminids from southern Maryland skies on the night of the maximum, 13/14 December.  However, the next night, 14/15 promised to be at least partially clear.  I went to watch meteors soon after the radiant rose and counted meteors for about three hours, until I became too cold.  (I envy Pierre's ability to withstand -9F temps all night!)  The radiant attained 20 degrees at about 3 Hr. UT, so I began a count for IMO purposes then.  Those results are below.  I was surprised however that the shower was still productive earlier in the evening, because I saw 8 Geminids in an hour and a half, 1:30-3:00 UT.  I am impressed by a meteor stream that is dense enough to pepper a hazy, partially-clouded, light-polluted, suburban Maryland sky even while at very low elevation above the horizon!  And, that, about 11 hours after nominal maximum hour.  The Geminids warm the meteor-watcher's heart on a cold December night.

Observation on (UT) 15/12/2007  3:25-4:41 UT, Teff= 1.27, Lm=5.1, F=1.10, 

Location: Bel Alton, Maryland: 76d 58m 59s W Longitude, 38d 27m 50s N Latitude, elevation about 10 meters/ 30 feet

Field Center: Castor and Pollux, RA 115d  Dec +30d

GEMs  -2 (2), -1 (1), 0 (2), +1 (2),  +2 (5), +3 (2), +4 (2), +5 (1)  TOT=17

SPOs                                             +2 (1), +3 (1)


Best wishes for the holiday season and the New Year!   Rich





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