(meteorobs) Obs: 07 Aug 2010

[David Oesper]

7 Aug 2010 0415-0615 UT (6 Aug 11:15 p.m. CDT - 7 Aug 1:15 a.m. CDT)

David Oesper
ESE of Alpine, TX
Sierra la Rana
30 21 15.7 N, 103 33 55.6 W, ~5175 ft.
Method: Visual, digital voice recorder, talking clock

0415-0615 UT; Teff = 2.0 hours
Meteors: 10; 2P, 8S

P = Perseids
S = Others or Sporadic

0412 sky brightness: zenith SQM 21.80 ~6.5
0415 begin session; sky clear; facing north
0418 a rarity in these parts - an airplane flying through Cepheus heading SW; only one seen during the session
0430 S +2; between Cyg & Lyr heading west
0443 S +0; slow, orangish, coming out of the "kite" of Bootes, similar to the two I saw 1 Aug 2010 0345 - 0415 UT, but much brighter
0451 P +0; long, beautiful train
0451 S +2; Head of Draco heading north
0504 S +3; Cyg heading towards Peg
0527 S +1; Cyg-Cep heading north, white
0538 S +2; Head of Draco / Cyg region going through the "kite" of Boo and west
0541 S +4 ; Dra towards Her
0544 S +1; Lyr towards Her (NW)
0604 P +1; Cep-Cyg towards SW, nice train
0615 end of session; sky clear; facing north
0620 sky brightness: zenith SQM 21.78 ~6.5

Limiting Magnitude = [(SQM-8.89)/2]+ 0.04
SQM = Sky Quality Meter

Comments:

(1) Quite a beautiful patch of disconnected Milky Way / stars in Cepheus in the area around 19 Cep, nice contrast with dark nebula Le Gentil 3.

(2) Back in Iowa and Wisconsin, the Scutum star cloud is the brightest patch of Milky Way, but down here the brightest patch of Milky Way is just above the teapot spout of Sagittarius.

(3) Ophthalmologist last week mentioned I had an unusually small optic nerve in both eyes - maybe that explains why I just don't see the faint meteors like Paul Martsching does?