(meteorobs) Geminid photos uploaded/did anyone notice anything unusual ab...

[geozay at aol.com]

>>Perhaps it's just me, but did anyone  else notice more persistent trains 
than usual? Although there were not too  many fireballs that I saw, even 
dimmer (but still negative magnitude)  Geminids seemed to leave long 
lasting trains.<<

This is  something I wouldn't be expecting. I kept personal records of 
train activity  when I observed in the 1990's. For the Geminids, I showed a rate 
of only 3.2%  that displayed visible wakes or trains. That was for the 
years of 1993, 1995,  1996 and 1998 under sky limiting magnitudes of between 5.6 
and 6.0. Those years  produced 1413 Geminids with 45 showing trains. I'd 
frequently see many bright  members without a train. The Geminids entry 
velocity is 35 km/s. I noticed that  the faster the entry velocity, generally the 
more trains will be perceived. For  example Leonids have an entry velocity 
of 71 km/s with 55% train production. And  for North Taurids with entry 
velocity of 29 km/s I saw a rate of 1.6% train  production. On occasions I'd find 
something that doesn't hold to that  pattern...such as the Alpha 
Capricornids...with an entry velocity of 25 km/s I  find their train production around 
3.9%. As for the sporadic population I found  overall train production to 
be at 13.8%
George Zay