(meteorobs) Observations August 12 from Oregon

[Wes Stone]

I had been anticipating this morning for the last four years. In 1996 and 
2004, the Perseids had performed spectacularly for me, and 2000 was right up 
there when I factored in the bright Full moon and the aurora (which was an 
amazing show in itself). Based on these past leap years, I thought I had the 
potential to see 100 Perseids in an hour on the morning of 2008 August 12.

Well, it didn't happen. Skies were OK with just a little smoke to drop the 
LM one or two tenths. I was still a bit weary from my slowly retreating 
illness, which probably didn't help my perception. And the Perseids gave an 
OK performance, but just an OK performance. I averaged 66 per hour over 3 
hours of Teff. The first hour was OK, on par with last year's nice display, 
but there were some long dead periods after that. Sporadic and minor-shower 
activity was down from the previous night, which may also point to lowered 
perception.

The Perseids were noticeably dimmer than on the previous night; no fireballs 
tonight. I saw five meteors from the August Eridanid radiant area. Kappa 
Cygnids were conspicuously absent.

Observer: Wesley Stone (STOWE)
Location: Chiloquin, OR (42d 35m N, 121d 52m W)
Method: Counting: Watch/Tape recorder
Date: 2008 August 12

Interval 1: 0833-0903 UT
Teff: 0.49 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.7
Total Meteors: 36
KCG: 0
CAP: 0
ANT: 0
SDA: 0
PER: 33
Spo: 3

---

Interval 2: 0903-0933 UT
Teff: 0.48 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.7
Total Meteors: 47
KCG: 0
CAP: 0
ANT: 0
SDA: 0
PER: 41
Spo: 6

---

Interval 3: 0933-1006 UT
Teff: 0.54 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.8
Total Meteors: 36
KCG: 0
CAP: 0
ANT: 1
SDA: 0
PER: 29
Spo: 6

---

Interval 4: 1016-1047 UT
Teff: 0.51 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.7
Total Meteors: 42
KCG: 0
CAP: 0
ANT: 4
SDA: 1
PER: 29
Spo: 8

---

Interval 5: 1047-1117 UT
Teff: 0.49 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.8
Total Meteors: 44
KCG: 0
CAP: 1
ANT: 1
SDA: 1
PER: 34
Spo: 7

---

Interval 6: 1117-1148 UT
Teff: 0.49 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.78
Total Meteors: 35
KCG: 0
CAP: 0
ANT: 0
SDA: 0
PER: 31
Spo: 4

Magnitude Distribution, 0833-1006 UT

ANT: +4(1) Total: 1
PER: -1(2), 0(10), +1(17), +2(26), +3(36), +4(9), +5(3) Total:
103, Mean: 2.2
Spo: +1(2), +2(2), +3(7), +4(4) Total: 15, Mean: 2.6

Magnitude Distribution, 1016-1148 UT

ANT: +2(1), +3(1) Total: 2, Mean: 2.5
CAP: +1(1) Total: 1
SDA: +2(1), +3(1) Total: 2, Mean: 2.5
PER: -2(1), -1(2), 0(11), +1(18), +2(21), +3(27), +4(13), +5(1) Total:
94, Mean: 2.1
Spo: +1(2), +2(5), +3(4), +4(6), +5(2) Total: 19, Mean: 3.0