(meteorobs) Southern California Meteor Observations April 22, 2009

[Robert Lunsford]

I observed the Lyrids from the Mojave Desert this week. I arrived Sunday 
evening and observed for 2 hours on Monday morning. No Lyrid activity was 
detected between 10 and 12 UT on 4/20. The following night was cloudy. Skies 
cleared Tuesday evening but the wind picked up just as I tried to nap near 
1030pm local time. I woke at 1am and powered up the video camera on but went 
back to sleep, hoping the wind would die down. I rose again just before 3am 
and the wind was not as bad as before so I commenced observations at 3am or 
10 UT. I decided to watch from the bed of my truck to get protection from 
the wind. Besides an air mattress was more appealing than a lounge chair. It 
was strange facing west but I liked it as the radiant was at the top of my 
field of view and Bootes dominated the center of my FOV. Unlike Monday 
morning, Lyrid activity was obvious right from the start. There were some 
nice bright ones along with the normal 3rd and 4th magnitude meteors. My 
highest 60 minute total was 10 Lyrids. The sporadic rates were surprisingly 
high with many faint ones being seen. The first sporadic meteor of the night 
could have been a member of the Xi Cygnids, but it occurred too far from my 
FOV to be certain. I quit early to be certain I had time to set up and 
videotape the occultation of Venus. I have seen several occultations of 
Venus but this was the first that occurred in a dark sky.

Observer: Robert Lunsford (LUNRO)
Date: 09-Apr-22 Mean Solar Long: 032.303
Beginning Time (UT) 1000
Ending Time (UT) 1145
Total TeFF: 1.45   Moon Rise: 11:23 UT
06% Illuminated Moon

LOCATION: Field Road, CA, USA
LONG: 116 33' 06" W LAT: 35 01' 49" N
Elevation: 630 m,  Bortle Scale: Class 3: Rural Sky
Beginning Temperature/Relative Humidity: 65F (18C) - 41%
Ending Temperature/Relative Humidity: 63F (17C) - 50%
METHOD: Visual Recording on Tape/Video Recording
--------------------------
Showers Observed
ANT 10:40 (224) -16    00-01      1   Total
LYR 02:40 (271) +34    08-05    13   Total
SPO                              11-11     22  Total

Hourly Counts               19-17     36  Total

---------------------------
Period 1   1000-1100 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.41
FOV 225 +30  TOTAL TeFF: 1.00
Mean Solar Long: 032.294

Meteor Data:
ANT 0,  LYR 8,  SPO  11,  TOTAL 19

Magnitude Distribution
LYR 0 (1)  +1 (2)  +2 (0)  +3 (3)  +4 (2)   Mean +2.38
SPO -1 (1) +3 (2) +4 (6) +5 (2)  Mean + 3.55

----------------------------
Period 2   1100-1145 UT
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds) Mean LM 6.26
FOV 235 +30  TOTAL TeFF: 1.00
Mean Solar Long: 032.331

Meteor Data:
ANT 1,  LYR 5,  SPO  11,  TOTAL 17

Magnitude Distribution
ANT +3 (1)  Mean + 3.00
LYR -1 (1) +2 (1)  +3 (3)  Mean +2.00
SPO +2 (2) +3 (2) +4 (4) +5 (3)  Mean + 3.73
----------------------------

Total Magnitude Distribution

ANT +3 (1)  Mean + 3.00
LYR -1 (1) 0 (1)  +1 (2)  +2 (1)  +3 (6)  +4 (2)   Mean +2.23
SPO -1 (1) +2 (2) +3 (4) +4 (10) +5 (5)  Mean + 3.64

Bob Lunsford