(meteorobs) Fw: Aurigid Meteor Shower Sept 1, 2007

[Bruce McCurdy]

    Forwarding an Aurigid report from Alan Whitman of Penticton, British 
Columbia, posted to another list. My own minimalist report from northwestern 
Alberta to follow in a couple of hours, after I get a little shut-eye.

    Bruce
    *****

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Whitman" <whitmans at vip.net>
To: <amastro at yahoogroups.com>
Cc: <astrookanagan at googlegroups.com>; <rascprincegeorge at yahoogroups.ca>
Sent: Saturday, September 01, 2007 8:00 AM
Subject: Aurigid Meteor Shower Sept 1, 2007


> The Aurigids put on a reasonably entertaining meteor shower, comparable to 
> this year's rather average Perseids. I observed from 1100 to 1210 
> Universal Time (0400 to 0510 PDT) and saw 21 Aurigids and one sporadic. 
> (All of the meteors occurred within the first hour.)
>
> Transparency was excellent behind a cold front, but the limiting magnitude 
> was only 4.7 due to glaring moonlight. The magnitude -12 gibbous Moon, 
> four days past Full, was high in the south-southwest, and I had to cover 
> it with my fingertips for the entire observing period. The sky was 
> cloudfree. The stars were not noticeably twinkling. So observing 
> conditions were ideal, except for the glaring moonlight. Temperature was 9 
> deg C.
>
> There were no breaks in the 70 minute observing record since recording 
> duties and time checks were handled by my wife and the tape recorder.
>
> Aurigid meteor magnitudes were as follows:
>
> 1100-1110 UTC  LM 4.7
> mag -1
> mag 3
> mag 3
>
> 1110-1120 UTC  LM 4.7
> mag 2
>
> 1120-1125 UTC  LM 4.7
> mag 3 sporadic
> mag 0
> mag 2
> mag 3
>
> 1125-1130 UTC  LM 4.7
> mag 2
>
> 1130-1135 UTC  LM 4.7
> Very bright, with train, but at edge of field of view, so magnitude was 
> not determined
> mag 3
> mag -2 with train
> mag 1
> mag 1 (point meteor)
>
> 1135-1140 UTC  LM 4.7
> mag 1
> mag 2
> mag -2
>
> 1140-1145 UTC  LM 4.7
> mag 4
>
> 1145-1150 UTC  LM 4.7, but twilight quite noticeable in the east
> mag 4
> mag 1
>
> 1150-1153 UTC (tape ran out)  LM 4.7
> Nil
>
> 1153-1200 UTC LM 4.7 with difficulty due to twilight
> mag 2
> mag -1
>
> 1200-1210  UTC  LM 4.2 at 1210
> Nil
>
> If anybody knows how to submit this to the proper people, please do so.
>
> Alan Whitman
> near Penticton, British Columbia, Canada
>