(meteorobs) Obs: 12/13 November 2007

[pmartsching at mchsi.com]

13 December 2007 03:45-06:45 UT (CST 12/13 Dec 9:45pm - 12:45am)

Paul Martsching
McFarland Park 4 miles NE of Ames, Story County, Iowa
Long: 93 deg 34 min W  Lat: 42 deg 05 min N  Elevation: ~1,040 feet
Method: Visual; paper, pencil & talking clock

Andromedids/November Piscids
Leonids
North Taurids
South Taurids
Sporadics

Andromedids/November Piscids:
I have seen slow meteors during this time of year from a radiant near the
"tip/point" of Triangulum for more than twenty years and I have always called
them Andromedids.

I have records of these meteors from 12 of the years 1984-2007 with 1993 being
the last "good" year when I saw 21 Andromedids over several nights.

Examples: 
1984: Nov 15/16 8:35-9:10pm CST (35 minutes) 5 Andromedids (Ames)
1988: Nov 13/14 7:00-8:00pm CST (1 hour) 7 Andromedids (McFarland Park)
1993: Nov 8/9 8:00-9:00pm CST (1 hour) 5 Andromedids (McFarland Park)

I have also read the paragraph in the IMO Handbook for Visual Meteor
Observations 1989 p.168 about approximately where the Andromedid radiant should
be "these days".  I'm rather inclined to continue to call them Andromedids. 
They certainly aren't anything new.

03:45-04:45; 34 degrees F; wind NW 3 mph; clear; average limiting magnitude 5.8;
facing East 50 degrees; total teff 1.0 hour
Time   mag.   type   comment
03:54  +3     Spor
04:03  -3     STA    yellow; 1 second train
04:09  +4     Spor
04:15  +3     Spor
Andromedids: none
Leonids: radiant not up yet
North Taurids: none
South Taurids: one: -3
Sporadics: three: +3(2); +4
Total meteors: four

04:45-05:45; 26 deg F; wind calm; clear; aver.lim.mag. 5.8; facing East 50 deg;
total teff 1.0 hour
Time   mag.  type   comment
04:45  +2    Spor
05:21  +3    Spor
05:26  +2    Spor
05:26  +1    Spor   yellow
05:38  +3    NTA
05:43  -2    NTA    yellow
Andromedids: none
Leonids: none
North Taurids: two: -2; +3
South Taurids: none
Sporadics: four: +1; +2(2); +3
Total meteors: six

05:45-06:45; 24 deg F; wind calm; clear; aver.lim.mag. 5.8; facing East 50 deg;
total teff 1.0 hour
Time   mag.  type   comment
05:46  +2    Spor
05:55  +3    Spor
06:02  +2    STA
06:04  +1    NTA    yellow
06:07  +2    AND
06:13  +2    AND
06:15  +5    Spor
06:17  +4    Spor
06:25  -1    STA
06:38  +1    LEO    brief train
Andromedids: two: +2(2)
Leonids: one: +1
North Taurids: one: +1
South Taurids: two: -1; +2
Sporadics: four: +2; +3; +4; +5
Total meteors: ten