(meteorobs) Obs: 16 August 2010

pmartsching at mchsi.com pmartsching at mchsi.com
Tue Aug 17 21:45:17 EDT 2010


Paul Martsching
16 August 2010 04:00-09:00 UT (15/16 August 11:00 pm - 04:00 am CDST)
McFarland Park 4 miles NE of Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA
Long; 93 deg 34 min N  Lat: 42 deg 05 min N  Elevation: 318 meters
Method: Visual; paper, pencil and talking clock

Observed/"Looked for" showers:
Antihelion
Eridanid
Kappa Cygnid
August Draconid: none seen
Perseid
Any slowish meteor coming from the general direction of the Antihelion radiant was considered to be an Antihelion.  Facing North cannot rule out A Capricornid or slow Sporadic. 
All other meteors were considered to be Sporadics

I sometimes go out after Perseid maximum to see Kappa Cygnids - now split between Kappa Cygnids and August Draconids.  The sky was so unusually good for this location that I stayed out much longer than I'd planned. I had to go to work the next morning.  Also I was seeing a fair number of Perseids.  The sky glow was about a little as it ever gets over Ames in the SW and Story City in the North.  Very little horizon haze.  The sky at this location gets this good maybe once in three years, if that often.
Saw scarcely any Kappa Cygnids.  Quite a few faint Perseids and faint sporadics- of course better sky conditions may have contributed to this.

At 04:00 UT the thick crescent Moon had just set in the SW.

04:00-05:00 UT; 66 deg F; dew pt 62 deg F; wind W 7 mph; clear; LM 5.9; facing N 55 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
Kappa Cygnid: one: +3
Perseids: three: -1; +1(2)
Sporadics: seven: 0; +1; +2; +3(2); +4(2)
Total meteors: eleven

05:00-06:00 UT; 64 deg F; dew pt 61 deg F; wind W 7 mph; clear; LM 5.9; facing N 55 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
Perseids: eight: -1; +1; +2; +3(2); +4(3)
Sporadics: five: +3(4); +4
Total meteors: thirteen

06:00-07:00 UT; 63 deg F; dew pt 60 deg F; wind W 7 mph; clear; LM 5.9; facing N 55 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
Kappa Cygnid: one: +2
Perseids: eight: -1; 0; +1; +2(2); +4(2); +5
Sporadics: four: +1; +3(2); +4
Total meteors: thirteen

07:00-08:00 UT; 62 deg F; dew pt 60 deg F; wind W 6 mph; clear; LM 5.8; facing N 55 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
Eridanid: one: +3
Perseids: nine: -4; -1; +1(2); +2; +3(2); +4; +5 (mag -4, orange, train duration 5 seconds)
Sporadics: six: +3(4); +4; +5
Total meteors: sixteen

08:00-09:00 UT; 61 deg F; dew pt 59 deg F; wind W 6 mph; clear; LM 5.8; glasses fogging up several times during last 15 minutes; facing N 55 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
Antihelion: one: -1
Eridanid: one: +1
Kappa Cygnid: one: +2
Perseids: ten: -3; -2; +1(3); +2; +3(3); +4
Sporadics: eight: -2; +2(2); +3(4); +4
Total meteors: twenty-one

Quit because of glasses fogging up (tho sky conditions still very good) and had to get at least a short nap before going to work.  Some fog in low areas during drive home.  I was disappointed in the very low Kappa Cygnid activity, but enjoyed the late Perseids.









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