(meteorobs) Obs: 12 Sep 2010

[Robert Lunsford]

Paul and All,

I agree with you that the next to last dark hour is usually the best rate-wise. In theory it should be the last hour but this does 
not seem to be the case. Some have stated that fatigue plays a factor but I'm not entirely sold on this idea. I wish I had time to 
study this in detail...

It sounds like an enjoyable session. That Nu Eridanid fireball must have been impressive!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and data!

Bob

--------------------------------------------------
From: <pmartsching at mchsi.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 7:08 AM
To: "meteorobs" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Subject: (meteorobs) Obs: 12 Sep 2010

> 12 September 2010 04:45-09:30 UT; break 07:45-08:00 UT
> (11/12 Sep 11:45pm - 04:30am CDST; break 02:45-03:00am CDST)
>
> McFarland Park Observatory 4 miles NE of Ames, Story County, Iowa, USA
>
> Nu Eridanids
> September Epsilon Perseids
> South Taurids (replacing Antihelion)
> Sporadics
>
> 04:45-05:45 UT; 55 deg F; dew pt 51 deg F; wind calm; clear; LM 5.8; facing ENE 50 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
> Nu Eridanid: none
> Sep E Perseids: none
> South Taurids: two: -1; +3
> Sporadics: four: 0; +1; +3(2)
> Total meteors: six
>
> 05:45-06:45 UT; 56 deg F; dew pt 50 deg F; wind SW 5 mph; clear; LM 5.8; facing ENE 50 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
> Nu Eridanid: one: -6
> Sep E Perseids: three: +2(2); +3
> South Taurids: two: 0; +4
> Sporadics: two: +3; +4
> Total meteors: eight
>
> 06:45-07:45 UT; 54 deg F; dew pt 50 deg F; wind SW 7 mph; clear; LM 5.8; facing ENE 50 deg; total teff 1.0 hour.
> Nu Eridanid: none
> Sep E Perseids: two: 0; +4
> South Taurids: one: 0
> Sporadics: seven: 0; +1; +2(2); +3(2); +4
> Total meteors: ten
>
> Break: 07:45-08:00 UT (02:45-03:00 CDST)
>
> 08:00-09:00 UT; 53 deg F; dew pt 50 deg F; wind SW 3 mph; clear; LM 5.6; zodiacal light & some horizon haze; facing ENE 50 deg; 
> total teff 1.0 hour.
> Nu Eridanids: three: -3; +2(2)
> Sep E Perseids: one: +1
> South Taurids: two: +1(2)
> Sporadics: five: -1; +2(2); +3; +4
> Total meteors: eleven
>
> 09:00-09:30 UT; 50 deg F; dew pt 49 deg F; wind calm; "clear"; LM 5.5; zodiacal light & horizon haze; facing NE 50 deg; total teff 
> 0.5 hour.
> Nu Eridanids: one: 0
> Sep E Perseids: two: +1; +2
> Sporadics: one: +4
> Total meteors: four; (30 minutes); I saw no meteors the last 20 minutes.
>
> The two best meteors of the session were both Nu Eridanids: 06:34 mag. -6 with train lasting 15 seconds; near radiant; traveled 
> about 4 degrees.  At first the train was bright orange quickly fading to yellow.  08:31 mag. -3 yellow with 2 second train.  Yes, 
> I did remember to keep South Apex sporadics separate from Nu Eridanid meteors.  There were at least four South Apex sporadics 
> during the session.  South Apex are nice meteors because of their long paths.
>
> Most of the SPE's were either not at perpendicular enough angle to a line between the "old" and "new" SPE radiants to be able to 
> visually differentiate or began fairly far away.  Meteors from these two radiants may be separable easily enough with video, but 
> visually I doubt it.
>
> It seems that often the next to last dark hour is the best for me.  Usually during the last half hour to hour of dark time the 
> meteor rates drop badly even if I've been observing only two or three hours.  But when I'm watching Perseids near maximum, as long 
> as decent sky conditions hold, the rates continue to climb well into morning twilight.
>
> Paul Martsching