(meteorobs) Obs: 2 Nov 2010

[David Oesper]

2 Nov 2010  0300-0500 UT  Facing Pleiades  30˚ 16´ 44.2˝ N, 103˚ 35´ 33.6˝ W, 1585 m
   Observer: David Oesper, SE of Alpine, TX
   About 5% sky obstruction at this site due to trees and buildings

0249 Begin zenithal sky brightness measurements with Sky Quality Meter
     21.84  21.80  21.80  21.78  21.76  21.76  21.77 magnitudes/square arcsecond
     Average: 21.79  Limiting magnitude: 6.5  Sensor Temp = 17˚ C
     Empirical formula: (Avg-8.89)/2 + 0.04

0300 Begin observations, sky conditions clear and windy
     note: all meteors are white unless otherwise noted
0306 T+2: fairly slow meteor, Ari-->Square of Peg, probable South Taurid, 10˚
0323 S+3: parallel eastern side Sq. of Peg, coming from dir of Beta Cas, flared, 20˚
0327 S+2: parallel western side Sq. of Peg, coming from dir of Zeta Cep, 5˚
          note: 0323 & 0327 meteors could have come from the same radiant in Cep
0334 S+3: Cam-->horizon, radiant in Cas?  peripheral, somewhat uncertain
          note: sky is dark enough I can nicely see the Milky Way going down through Aur
          note: can’t see M33 in Tri but NGC 752 in And is very noticeable
0408 note: Betelgeuse is just clearing the garage (alt. = 5˚)
0410 note: rapid-fire flashes very low, over towards Betelgeuse (azi. ~ 84˚)
           probably very distant thunderstorm
     note: one of the nice things about living in the Big Bend region of West Texas is the lack of air traffic; haven’t seen a single plane anywhere in the sky this session
0414 note: brighter flash, more localized, below and 3-4˚ to the right of Betelgeuse
0416 T?+3: Eri-->horizon, coming from dir of Aldebaran, peripheral, 10˚
           note: another flash below Ori
0431 S+2: Per-Tau border-->Aur, coming from dir to left of the Pleiades, Ari, 10˚
0436 note: another flash, below and to the left of Betelgeuse; must be very distant thunderstorm as it is completely clear here and was all day, too; no forecast of rain

     note: 52 & 53 Cas are part of what looks like a cluster of stars, right off the end of Cas; Delta Cas & Epsilon Cas point towards it

0448 note: another flash, below and to the left of Betelgeuse

0456 T+2: slow, southern Per-->Polaris, peripheral, 20˚

0457 T+1: about the same path as 0456 meteor

0457 T+3: to the right of the Pleiades-->Belt of Ori

0500 End observations

0502 Begin zenithal sky brightness measurements
     21.82  21.89  21.84  21.84  21.83  21.80  21.82 mag/sq.˝
     Average: 21.83 Limiting magnitude: 6.5  Sensor Temp = 8˚ C
 
0300-0500 UT 2, Nov 2010, Teff = 2.0
5 Taurids [magnitudes +1 (1), +2 (2), +3 (2)]
4 Sporadics [magnitudes +2 (2), +3 (2)]