(meteorobs) Geminid Obs. 12/14/09 - Greenbelt, MD

[George Gliba]

      Geminid Meteor Shower - Greenbelt, Maryland 390016N 0765233W
                December 13/14, 2009 - 08:13 to 09:13 UT


   I was only able to observe the Geminid max. locally for an hour, but I
was lucky that it stayed mostly clear, because there was a light fog after
09:00 UT, reducing the average LM to around 5.0 magnitude. In that time, I
was able to observe 29 Geminids with a 25% obstruction due to trees and
a few clouds.

   The best meteor of the session was the first one, which was a beautiful
-3 Geminid with a blue-yellow-green color. There was also a few other minus
magnitude Geminids, and the average Geminid was a bright 1.6 magnitude, but
I am sure in a darker sky that there were many more faint ones visible. I
also saw fairly good activity from the Sigma Hydrids. I looked for, but did
not see any, December Leonis Minorids.


 Time (UT)   LM   %Obst. ANT  MON  GEM  HYD  COM  DAD  SPO Total  Comments
08:13-09:13  5.0   25%    2    1   29    3    1    2    6   44   light fog

FOV=07.3 +38  Facing West             


Magnitude Distributions (08:13-09:13 UT - LM=5.0, light fog)

    -4  -3  -2  -1   0   1   2   3   4  total  Ave.
ANT  0   0   0   0   0   1   0   0   1    2    2.5 
MON  0   0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1    1    4.0
GEM  0   1   1   2   3   5   6   9   2   29    1.6
HYD  0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   2    3    3.7
COM  0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   0    1    3.0
DAD  0   0   0   0   0   0   0   1   1    2    3.5
SPO  0   0   0   0   0   0   0   2   4    6    3.7

Clear Skies,
GWG