(meteorobs) Ursids from Iowa

[pmartsching at mchsi.com]

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: 318 meters
Method: Visual; paper, pencil & talking clock

Because of the cold and wind I observed from inside my station wagon with the heater on.  Because of this obstruction 30%.  Perhaps half of this obstruction was because I could not center my field of view as high as usual - so a lot of ground was included in the bottom of my field of view.  The rest of the obstruction was around the edges of my field of view.  Whether this really resulted in a 30 percent reduction in the number of meteors seen - I don't know.  Some reduction in limiting magnitude due to looking thru glass.  The crescent Moon rose about 03:00 local time in the SE.

None of the Ursids showed any color and none left trains.

UT 22 December 2008 05:45 - 10:00 (break 08:45 - 09:00)
CST 21/22 December 2008 11:45 pm - 04:00 am (15 min break 02:45-03:00 am)

05:45 - 06:45; -4 degrees F; wind NW 15 mph; clear; snow; 30 % obstruction because of observing from inside heated station wagon; average limiting magnitude 5.5; facing North ~40 degrees; total teff 1.0 hour
Antihelion: none
Coma Berenicid: none
Sigma Hydrid: one: -3 orange with 3 second train
Ursids: two: +2; +3
Sporadics: two: +3(2)
Total meteors: five

06:45 - 07:45; -5 deg F; wind NW 14 mph; clear; snow; 30 % obstruction; aver. limiting magnitude 5.5; facing N ~40 deg; total teff 1.0 hour
Antihelion: none
Coma Berenicid: none
Sigma Hydrid: one: +3
Ursids: four: 0; +2; +3(2)
Sporadics: three: -1; +3; +4
Total meteors: eight

07:45 - 08:45; -6 deg F; wind W 16 mph; clear; snow; 30 % obstruction; aver. lim. mag. 5.4; facing N ~40 deg; total teff 1.0 hour
Antihelion: none
Coma Berenicid: one: +3
Sigma Hydrid: none
Ursids: five: -1; +1(2); +3; +4
Sporadics: three: +2; +3(2)
Total meteors: nine

I could hardly hold my eyes open, so I took a 15 minute break with my eyes shut.

09:00 - 10:00; -8 deg F; wind W 9 mph; clear; snow; 30 % obstruction; crescent Moon rose in SE ~09:00; aver. lim. mag. 5.3; facing N ~40 deg; total teff 1.0 hour; I saw no meteors 09:00 - 09:30!
Antihelion: none
Coma Berenicid: none
Sigma Hydrid: none
Ursid: none
Sporadics: four: +2(2); +3(2)
Total meteors: four