(meteorobs) quads maximum

[Bruce McCurdy]

kcstarguy at aol.com wrote:
> Aren't the quads predicted to have maximum around 7 am Eastern timein US? 
> on Jan 3? I am getting differing points of view for the time of the 
> maximum and whether it is morning of 3rd or 4th?

    It's the 3rd. The Quads are the "exception" to the rule of meteor 
showers moving up a day during a leap year. This is the first Quads max 
since the Leap Day, thus the max is ~18 hours earlier than last year.

    Western North America is best placed for this year's 13h UT max, the 
more *north*western the better. In theory. I am taking this to, and perhaps 
beyond, its logical extreme as I fly this evening to Yellowknife in the 
Northwest Territories (latitude 62 deg 30') where I will join Stephen 
Bedingfield in observing the Quadrantids. As I lay in my warm, comfy bed 
listening to the lead news item this morning -- a cold snap here in Alberta, 
especially in the north -- the thought occurred to me that my plan to fly 9 
degrees north to go observing overnight might just qualify me as the most 
insane person on the planet for a day. The trip has been planned for months, 
but the weather, which was always a variable, will be brutal:

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/nt-24_metric_e.html

    The good news is that the forecast is for clear skies, and the Sun won't 
rise in Yellowknife until 10:05 (!) MST, well after the max. The even better 
news is that Steve's Ford Explorer is equipped with a moon roof, so we will 
be able to have (frequent!) warm-up sessions for our extremities and 
continue observing.

    Cast a warm thought in my direction, and stay tuned! This should be a 
memorable adventure.

    Bruce
    *****