(meteorobs) Lyrid Peak from Alberta

[bmccurdy at telusplanet.net]

   After being clouded out of all International Astronomy Day observing 
activities planned in Edmonton, I was surprised but pleased that my observing 
buddy and professional meteorologist Alister Ling forecast clearing skies 
south and west of the city. We embarked on about a 90-minute drive before 
emerging from under the cloud cover just past Rimbey in central Alberta. Clear 
skies prevailed for the subsequent three hours.  

   Upon assuming my ready position at 1:30 local time, I was rewarded with an 
immediate meteor, followed by a half-hour drought. Activity gradually 
increased, but other than one nice burst of four meteors within a minute 
pickings were generally slim all night. My sporadic count was particularly 
low, just three. Of 19 meteors seen, 15 were identified as Lyrids. 

   As usual we also employed the radio forward-scatter method, but I observed 
just two meteors which were accompanied by a radio burst. Alister had a little 
better success rate, but I have never found the Lyrids to be a particularly 
good radio shower. To be frank, I have never found them to be much of a visual 
shower either. 

   My only negative-magnitude streaker of the entire session occurred just a 
minute or so before we called it a night at 4:40 a.m. It was a nice 
consolation prize of a workmanlike but not particularly memorable show.     
***

Observer: Bruce McCurdy   MCCBR
Location: Somewhere SW of Rimbey, Alberta
          52 deg. 36'33" N., 114 deg. 22'06" W, elev. 985m
Date: 2007-04-22
Interval: 0730-0900 UT; 0920-1040 UT; Teff 2.83 hr.
Limiting magnitude: 6.1 - 6.2
Primary method: Visual, microcassette and talking watch
Secondary method: Radio scatter, FM 88.7

0730  start, LM 6.1
0730  LYR  +1  short wake; simultaneous radio burst
0801  LYR  +5
0817  LYR  +5
0818  LYR  +2
0826  ANT  +3  "Zubenelgenubid", brief wake
0842  LYR  0   Persistent train
0847  SPO  +2
0847  LYR  +3
0847  LYR  +4
0848  SPO  +3
0900  break

0730-0900: Teff 1.5 hr.
7 LYR:  0, +1, +2, +3, +4, +5(2)
1 ANT: +3
2 SPO: +2, +3
Total meteors: ten
***

0920  restart, LM 6.2
0925  LYR  +3  bronze
0925  LYR  +4
0935  LYR  +3
0953  LYR  +1
1002  LYR  +2  orange
1022  LYR  +1  brief wake
1031  LYR  +1  brief wake  SRB
1036  SPO  +3  
1039  LYR  -2  wake, persistent train
1040  end

0920-1040: Teff 1.33 hr.
8 LYR: -2, +1(3), +2, +3(2), +4
1 SPO: +3
Total meteors: nine
***

Summary: Teff 2.83 hr.
15 LYR: -2, 0, +1(4), +2(2), +3(3), +4(2), +5(2)
1 ANT: +3
3 SPO: +2, +3(2)
Total meteors: nineteen
*****

   Lyrid Night = Earth Day, so I was involved in astronomy club activities 
throughout the following day, precluding a second trip to see the downside of 
the Lyrid "peak". 

   Bruce
   *****