(meteorobs) Early European General Perseid Observation 11/12 Aug

[Catlin]

Sorry for delay due to being disappointed by being clouded out yet again
with wall to wall grey and light rain.

Well done Leo - at least you saw some; I enjoyed your amusing report.

I am about 200 miles north of you here in Leeds Yorkshire (pop 700,000)
and will try again tonight, hoping the weather nuts are wrong.

I will also remain optimistic, positive and my cup is always half full
because I am too foolhardy to be a pessimist. 

Finally I would like to appeal to all wherever you are to send in your 
Perseid reports even if you don't see any, the associated tales are
often amusing and well received.

Clear skies to all
-----Original Message-----
From: meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org
[mailto:meteorobs-bounces at meteorobs.org] On Behalf Of Leo S
Sent: 12 August 2009 06:42
To: Global Meteor Observing Forum
Subject: Re: (meteorobs) Early European General Perseid Observation
11/12 Aug

The UK is positioned perfectly this year... to miss both peaks!

 From the IMO:

PERSEIDS (PER)

2009-07-14 to 2009-08-24

Peaks 2009-08-12 ~05h00 UT ZHR <10?

                 ~09h00 UT ZHR ~10-100 (c.1610 trail)

                 ~17h30-20h00 UT ZHR 100 (Main peak)


I just got in from a disappointing night's observing. I drove out of 
London to just outside Basingstoke, where I found a field that had good 
clear horizons to set up my cameras. Whilst setting up, a white pickup 
with "security" in big letters on the side pulled up, and the guy at the

wheel looked at me, started shaking his head, and beaconed me to come
over.

When I walked round to his window, he said "This is private property. 
You can't stop here!". So I explained to him what I was doing, and the 
instant I said "Perseids", he became much more agreeable. He told me 
that "they usually watch from that ridge over there", pointing his 
finger in the direction of a farm house which was at the top of the 
field I was in, and to tell anyone asking what I was doing here "Dave 
said it was OK".

After Dave drove off I finished setting up, and settled down in my 
sleeping bag just as the light was fading. I saw my first Perseid after 
about half an hour, once the sky was a little darker. Only a short 0 
mag. close to the radiant, but it it was soon followed by a beautiful -3

Perseid semi-grazer (the radiant was already well above the horizon) 
that shot upwards from the radiant, and not long after that a nice -4 
fireball semi-grazer that was perhaps 20 degrees in length.

The sky was very clear, and I was thinking this is looking very 
promising! Then I caught another Perseid fireball out of the corner of 
my eye, a very nice -6 very close to the radiant that left a 1-2 second 
train. It was about 2300 UT, and I'd only been observing for an hour or 
so, and after that little volley of bright Perseids, it was all downhill

after that. I only saw faint Perseids, and not very many.

By about 0100 I was starting to feel a bit worse for wear, but I stuck 
it out for another hour or so before I finally gave in and packed up. 
Total Perseids for the night was only 22, although I probably missed a 
few whilst tending to cameras. On the plus side, I think I caught at 
least one of the two "semi-grazers" at the start of the night. Will try 
to post any I've captured in the next day or two. I had 4 cameras 
running, so theres allot to go through!

Interesting to note that all Perseids appeared white to me, although 
there may have been a subtle hint of green in some of them.

Hope you and everyone else caught a few. I think much of the UK (here in

the S/E anyway) will cloud out tonight, so I'll be staying in and 
looking through last nights shots.

Clear skies!
Leo


Catlin wrote:
> I will be observing Perseids from Leeds England tween 23hrs and
0200hrs
> local time depending on my stamina and patience with a neighbours
> flashing alarm.
> She works in the local forensic lab - burglars beware.
>  
> I am a little rusty as my observation time has been limited in the
past
> two years, however, I will send a report approx three hours after this
> one to try and give our friends over the pond an advanced handle with
> rates over here. It is fairly clear at the moment and I'm as
optimistic
> as ever.
>  
> I would like to ask anyone for any expected Perseid ZHR as I have done
> little homework but hear that a storm may occur tonight? Is tonight
the
> best night or tomorrow?
>  
> Clear skies
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