(meteorobs) Dec 12/13 2013 Geminid observation from north Florida

[Paul Jones]

Hello again meteor fanatics,
     I  promised full data on my Geminid observations from yesterday
morning and they follow below.  I was hoping to do a repeat observation
this morning, but yet another cold front descended rapidly down upon us
here in north Florida and slammed the door shut on us.
    However, in the "extremely lucky catch" department, early last evening,
before the frontal clouds took over, I caught a stunning, multi-colored
 "windshield" Geminid earthgrazer while driving back home from an errand to
the local grocery store.  It was just after 7:00 pm. local time and I was
facing west looking at how bright Venus was low in the sky, when a stunning
-3 Geminid earthgrazer skipped, flashed and flared slowly through about 40
degrees of sky right next to Venus!    It really put on an
amazing lightshow indeed as it dropped into the western horizon.  It was
yellow, orange, blue and turquoise among other colors, leaving a sparkly
silver train behind it.  It flared up and died down about four times on its
path, each time a different color when it re-flared again.  Wow, was she
ever a beauty!.
Anyway, here is the data from yesterday morning:

Dec. 12/13, 2013, Observer: Paul Jones, Location: 5 miles SW of St.
Augustine, Florida, Total Teff: 2.25 hours, LM: 6.0, Sky conditions: clear
(first hour), 20% cloud interference (second hour) Facing: south

0830 -0930 UT (0330 -0430 EST)
63 Geminids
3 sigma Hydrids
2 Anthelions
12 Sporadics
80 total meteors


0930 -1045 UT (0430 - 0545 EST)
45 Geminids
2 sigma Hydrids
18 sporadics
65 total meteors

Magnitudes:

Gems: -2 (1), -1 (1), 0 (1), +1 (4), +2 (16), +3 (39), +4 (31), +5 (15)

sigma Hydrids: +1 (1), +2 (1), +3 (2), +4 (1)

Anthelions: 0 (1), +3 (1)

Sporadics (0 (2), +1 (3), +2 (6), +3 (6, +4 (7). +5 (4)

Only five of the 108 Geminids I saw left trains and the only observed color
I had was a few with yellow.  The zero mag Anthelion was a blue-white
beauty that left a nice train as it practically bisected the Geminid
radiant.
During that second hour, 10 of the 18 sporadics I saw left trains, fully
outperforming the Gems in that one department.
All in all, I would say the Geminids put on a great show in 2013, albeit
definitely on the fainter side for the most part it seemed to me.  At least
compared to previous years I've seen them, particularly in 2007 when
Geminid fireballs were flying left and right it seemed!   Each year is a
different story, though.  That's why we love to get out and see them so
much!!
Looking forward to 2014 and a good year to catch the Quadrantids!  Good
luck to all...

Clear skies, Paul in St. Augustine, Florida
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