(meteorobs) Meteor Obs. 12/30/08 - Mathias, WVa

[George Gliba]

stange wrote:
> I cannot think of ANYTHING more unfortunate than that George. I hope 
> collimation & drive was not permanently damaged.  -Larry
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "George Gliba" <gliba at milkyway.gsfc.nasa.gov>
> To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>; "Mark Davis" 
> <meteors at comcast.net>
> Sent: 2008/12/31 08:26
> Subject: (meteorobs) Meteor Obs. 12/30/08 - Mathias, WVa
>
>
>   
>>      Screech Owl Hill Observatory, Mountain Meadows
>>         Mathias, West Virginia 385710N 0785544W
>>                   December 29/30, 2008
>>
>>   We had a very windy night two nights ago in Mathias,
>> West Virginia, but the transparency was very good. We
>> had some wind gusts to 60 mph, and one gust blew our
>> 8-inch Celestron down, breaking part of it, and putting
>> it out of service for the night. Luckly, we got to see
>> comet C/2006 W3 Christensen just before the accident.
>>
>>   I was able to get in two hours of meteor observing
>> from 8 to 10 UT. Activity from the Coma Berenicids was
>> good, with 8 members being see. Also seen were 5 Anti-
>> helions, 1 Northern Apex meteor, 3 Southern Apex meteors,
>> and 30 sporadics. The best meteors were only of the 1st
>> magnitude, but one 0 magnitude yellow meteor was seen at
>> the western corner of my eye, but I didn't count it as I
>> couldn't tell what direction it was going. At the end of
>> the night I spotted comet C/2007 N3 Lulin close to beta
>> Scorpii before dawn.
>>
>>
>>  Time (UT) LM %Obst.ANT COM NPX SPX SPO Total   FOV
>> 08:00-09:00 6.5  0%   3   4   1   1   16   25  09.7+12
>> 09:00-10:00 6.4  0%   2   4   0   2   14   22  11.0+12
>>
>>
>> Magnitude Distributions (08:00-10:00 UT - LM=6.45)
>>
>>     0   1   2   3   4   5  total Ave.
>> ANT  0   0   0   3   1   1    5   3.6
>> COM  0   2   3   1   2   0    8   2.4
>> NPX  0   0   1   0   0   0    1   2.0
>> SPX  0   0   2   1   0   0    3   2.3
>> SPO  0   4   3  15   4   4   30   3.0
>>
>> Clear Skies,
>> GWG
>>
>>
>>
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>>     
>
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>   

Larry et al,

   Yes, it was pretty unfortunate, but things could have been worse, like
the optics breaking. The collimation has not been checked yet, but a
plastic knob was broken. But, like all of us, as we reflect on the New Year,
we should be thankful for what we have. As we enter into the IYA, we should
educate people about the wonders of astronomy, and meteorics & meteoritics
in particular. Our "Stone Pelted Planet" and our living now in such a 
wonderful
cosmos, should bever be taken for granted.

Happy New Year!
GWG