(meteorobs) Geminids from Portugal

[Michel Vandeputte]

Hi folks, 



As Koen Miskotte already wrote in a formal message, I was lucky to observe the most powerful meteor stream of the year from Portugal. Other members of the team were Koen Miskotte, Carl Johannink, Simon and Inneke Vanderkerken. We found a place about 100km east from Lissabon (and 35km east from Evora). I observed in three nights: December 12-13, 13-14 and 14-15. I can already give some details from the first two nights: 

 

During the first night (December 12-13) I observed for 4,5 hours between 01-5.30UT. I saw 329 meteors including 222 Geminids. On average, Geminids were weak with a mean magnitude of 2.91. One bright -5 fireball. 2% of the Geminids left a persistent trail. Hourly counts peaked at 56 Geminids in  one hour observing time. Translated in ZHR I calculate an increasing ZHR from 40 to ~60 at the end of the session. 

 

The second night (December 13-14) was the night of the 'high numbers'. The ZHR was increasing above the 100-level. I observed 1134 (!) meteors between 21.40-06.20UT (=8,67 Teff) including 949 Geminids. 

The show was awesome, even a couple hours before the main maximum! My highest hourly count reached 142 Geminids between 1-2UT. I will never forget the moment when I saw 4 Geminids shooting away from the radiant at the same time (the wheel effect) I thought that we could only see this during the Leonid meteor storms! The average brightness (2,78 for the night) increased slightly during the session. During the last hours I observed more meteors in the order of -3 and/or -2. I did not observe big fireballs in this night. 2% left a persistent trail.

 

The third night....(December 14-15) was a thriller ;-). I do not have data from this night (work, other observing sessions,..) but the show was tremendous and dramatic! I think I have observed about an other 600 meteors. It all started 'normal' with high rates after the main maximum, some earth grazing Geminids at the beginning of the session. We observed between 21 - 05UT. After the first observing hours we thought that the show of brighter meteors was already over and that we missed this part during the evening hours...but things changed quickly after midnight when earth encountered the richer part of the stream resulting in many fireballs and bright meteors. This was almost insane! 

This was definitely one of the best nights in my career as meteor astronomy observer. 

 

Data will follow for the IMO and meteorobs,

 

 

Long trains, 



Michel