(meteorobs) Geminids? What Geminids?

[Bruce McCurdy]

I haven't even seen the big, high, bright, close Moon, let alone any Geminids. The good news is that it's finally clearing off after a few days of low cloud with frequent bouts of snow. The bad news is best summarized by Environment Canada:

Today
Day: Clearing near noon. Wind north 20 km/h becoming light this afternoon. Temperature steady near minus 25. Wind chill minus 37.
Night: A few clouds. Low minus 29.

Sunday
Sunny. Wind up to 15 km/h. High minus 23. Wind chill minus 33.

If it wasn't for that nasty wind, I might be tempted. Decembrrr winds bite in more ways than one! As it stands, perhaps I'll do a little backyard observing for an hour or until I see my first Gem or until I freeze up, whichever happens first. But unless an observing buddy materializes there's no way I'm driving my car over flash-frozen winter roads to some isolated spot in the faint hopes of seeing a handful of Moon-soaked Geminids. I may be crazy, but I'm not that crazy. 

I am, however, *this* crazy ... I plan on observing the Quadrantids peak from Yellowknife, NWT with my friend and occasional MeteorObs contributor Stephen Bedingfield. At latitude +62, Yellowknife is some 8 degrees north of Edmonton; on a thermometer, however, it's generally quite a few degrees south! Airline ticket is bought and paid for, so I'm just gambling on luck. In case of emergency, there's always the car window method. 

Bruce
*****