(meteorobs) Lyrids April 22 from Oregon

[Wes Stone]

I got out to observe Lyrids on the morning of April 22 and saw a decent 
display with normal rates and some bright meteors. I started at 9:00 UT, and 
the two brightest meteors appeared within the first seven minutes. The first 
was a -2 Lyrid that shot overhead, and the second was a Lyrid of at least -4 
that had a violet "head" and orange "tail". This fireball streaked through 
western Ophiuchus and left a persistent train that lasted 3.5 minutes.

There were the normal spurts and lulls, with several dead periods of up to 
14 minutes. I think my perception slacked off a bit later in the 
observation. I ended up with 64 total meteors (37 Lyrids) in 2.63 hours of 
observing time. The mean magnitude of the Lyrids was a surprisingly bright 
1.7; otherwise, it was a pretty normal session.

Afterwards, as twilight was brightening, I was treated to excellent views of 
Venus being occulted by the Moon.

Report (IMO electronic form already sent)
Observer: Wesley Stone (STOWE)
Location: Chiloquin, OR (42d 35m N, 121d 52m W)
Method: Counting: Watch/Tape recorder
Date: 2009 April 21/22

Interval 1: 0900-1030 UT
Teff: 1.48 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.80
Total Meteors: 37
LYR: 20
ANT: 2
XCG: 0
Spo: 15

---

Interval 1: 1030-1140 UT
Teff: 1.15 hours
F: 1.00
LM: 6.75
Total Meteors: 27
LYR: 17
ANT: 2
XCG: 1
Spo: 7

---

Magnitude Distributions:

LYR: -4(1), -2(1), -1(2), 0(4), +1(7), +2(8), +3(9), +4(5) Total: 37, Mean: 
1.7
ANT: +3(1), +4(2), +5(1) Total: 4, Mean: 4.0
XCG: +2(1)
Spo: +1(3), +2(4), +3(7), +4(6), +5(2) Total: 22, Mean: 3.0


--
So he slept on a mountain.
In a sleeping bag underneath the stars
he would lie awake and count them.
And the gray fountain spray of the great Milky Way
would never let him die alone.
--Wilco