(meteorobs) Quadrantids' maximum 4 Jan 2008 (UT) from S. Maryland

[Richard Taibi]

I reached my "dark sky" (avg lm 5.85) site early because I was too excited to sleep.  So, I watched, with two breaks, from 6:20 UT to 9:58 UT on Jan 4.  6:40 UT was the nominal maximum time that IMO quoted.  I would have stayed longer but my hands were freezing to the point of not functioning, even using handwarmers.  It was -11 C/ 12F.  My QUA rate and total were not too high, perhaps because of the cold's effect on my concentration and because I'm not particularly perceptive of faint meteors.  I note from several observers on the list that many of their meteors were +4 and +5.  Then too, even a 5.9 sky is none too dark, so the fainter meteors don't stand out from the sky background dramatically. 10 of the session's QUAs were bright, of  +1  mag or brighter, but I had only one true fireball, a -3 QUA.  I was glad to have a cloudless sky for the shower's maximum.  In Maryland, you can't expect clear skies on a regular basis in the winter and the Quadrantids are often clouded out.

Date 4-Jan-2008, 6:20-9:58 UT, total Teff=3.17, F=1.00 (Cloudless all session), Average Lim Mag for session=5.85

Observer: Richard Taibi; Method: cassette tape recorder; Field center was in the northeast sky, horizon just visible.  Polaris visible on my left and Spica on my right (when it rose).

Location: Bel Alton, MD  long=76d, 59m W; lat=38d, 28m N, elev=10m.

Magnitude distributions:

Period 1   QUA   620-730 UT   +1 (3), +2 (4), +3 (2), +4 (3)  Total=12

Period 2   QUA   748-848 UT    -3 (1),  0 (1), +1 (1), +2 (1), +3 (1), +4 (2), +5 (1)   Total=8

Period 3   QUA   858-958 UT    -2 (1), -1 (2), +1 (1), +2 (6), +3 (5), +4(2),   Total=17

Other showers/sources:

COM  620-958 UT  +2 (1),  +4 (1)  Total=2

ANT   620-958 UT   0 (1),  +1 (1)   Total=2

SPO   620-958 UT   0 (2), +2 (2), +3 (3),  +4 (2),  +5 (1)   Total=10