(meteorobs) Observation August 12/13, 2009 from Slovenia

[Javor Kac]

We planned to go high in the Alps for the second night of the Perseids
maximum, but a thorough look at the weather data showed highest
probability of orographic clouds forming there. Therefore we decided
to stay in central Slovenia, quite close to country's capital Ljubljana.

We started as soon as it got dark and it was immediately evident that
the Perseids were much more active than the night before. Almost all
Perseids seen in this period were long meteors due to the radiant
position low in the sky. At 20:11 UT we were abruptly illuminated by
the TV crew that was preparing to broadcast live from the location
(reporting on the Perseids). I had to shield my eyes from the lights
for the next 25 minutes. Nonetheless, my highest Perseids count came
from this period, 11 Perseids in 10 minutes centered at 20:34 UT. Soon
after the lights were shut down, the clouds drifted into my field of
view. From 21:04 UT until the morning I could not avoid them, and was
forced to take many breaks when the obstruction grew too high.

Under this difficult observing conditions I managed about 2.5 hours
effective observing time, recording 106 meteors, including 94
Perseids. The first hour was the most interesting with 43 Perseids.

I did not see any bright Perseids during my watch -- the brightest
were -1 magnitude.
The brightest meteor recorded was a nice greenish -3 magnitude Kappa
Cygnid at 20:33 UT. It was recorded by four digital cameras on site
(see <http://www.galaksija.si/download/file.php?id=1046&mode=view> for
a 10-mm f/2.8 lens view; also note the devastating lights from the TV
crew)!

Clear skies!
Javor Kac
Editor-in-Chief
WGN, Journal of the International Meteor Organization
http://www.imo.net/imo/wgn


Summary report:
Date: 2009 August 12/13
Start: 19:39 UT
End: 01:25 UT
Location: 14o 13' 44" E, 45o 59' 04" N, 630 m
Place: Zaplana
Observer: Javor Kac (KACJA)

                                                    |Perseids mag. distr.
Period (UT) Teff   F    LM  PER SDA CAP KCG ANT Spor|-1 +0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5
19:39-19:49 0.167 1.00 6.39   6   /   0   0   0   0 | 0  0  3  0  2  1  0
19:49-19:59 0.167 1.00 6.52   7   /   0   0   0   0 | 0  3  2  1  0  1  0
19:59-20:09 0.161 1.00 6.52   4   1   0   0   0   0 | 0  0  1  0  0  3  0
20:09-20:19 0.161 1.00 6.15   9   0   0   0   0   0 | 2  0  2  3  2  0  0
20:19-20:29 0.158 1.00 6.20   6   0   0   0   0   2 | 0  1  2  0  2  1  0
20:29-20:39 0.167 1.00 6.20  11   1   0   1   0   1 | 1  1  5  1  2  1  0
20:39-20:49 0.167 1.00 6.55   8   0   0   0   0   2 | 0  1  1  1  3  1  1
20:49-20:59 0.167 1.00 6.55   4   0   0   0   1   0 | 0  0  0  2  1  1  0
20:59-21:08 0.150 1.10 6.55   5   0   0   0   0   0 | 0  1  2  1  0  1  0
21:14-21:17 0.050 1.67 6.30   3   0   0   0   0   0 | 0  0  1  2  0  0  0
22:34-22:44 0.167 1.41 5.99   5   0   0   0   0   0 | 0  2  1  1  0  1  0
22:54-23:03 0.150 1.25 5.54   2   0   0   0   0   0 | 0  0  0  0  1  0  1
23:03-23:12 0.150 1.22 5.54   7   0   0   0   0   0 | 1  1  2  2  0  1  0
23:12-23:20 0.133 1.33 5.50   2   0   1   0   0   0 | 0  0  0  1  0  1  0
23:25-23:30 0.083 1.30 5.50   2   0   0   0   0   0 | 0  0  0  2  0  0  0
01:04-01:14 0.167 1.54 5.91   5   1   0   0   0   1 | 0  1  0  1  2  1  0
01:14-01:25 0.183 1.62 5.70   8   0   0   0   0   0 | 1  0  1  2  3  1  0

Magnitude distributions:
PER: -1(5) 0(11) +1(23) +2(20) +3(18) +4(15) +5(2)
SDA: +3(2) +4(1)
CAP: +2(1)
KCG: -3(1) 
ANT: +2(1)
Spor: +2(1) +3(0) +4(5)
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E-mail: javor.kac at orion-drustvo.si
Homepage: http://www2.arnes.si/~mborion4/javor-E.htm
MBK Team: http://www.orion-drustvo.si/MBKTeam/mbkteam.htm
Orion Astronomical Society: http://www.orion-drustvo.si
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