(meteorobs) Observation July 13/14 2013

[Pierre Martin]

I went out again the following night, this time at Bootland Farm to observe the last two hours before dawn.  When I arrived after 1am, I drove slowly as the grass on either side of the lane way had grown quite a bit and I saw a deer jump out and scurry towards the tree line.  But I was not alone.  At the observing field, I was greeted by Brandon who was out on his own with his Sky-Watcher 16" dob goto.  He was just starting to pack up.  This was a much warmer night than the previous one with a low of about 18C, so the bugs were out (but kept well under control with thermacell).  The night was also very calm, and a ground fog gradually formed.  Things got quite dewy too.  Just after 2am, I saw a brief and dim aurora flaring up on the northern horizon.  But it did not last long.  Overhead, the transparency was beautiful; about 4/5 quality and LM=6.5.

Meteor activity was decent with 24 meteors.  The July Pegasids and Perseids had some notable minor activity.  The antihelion source was almost absent, except for a nice second mag meteor that traced a 35 degrees path and flared in-and-out four times.


July 13/14 2013 2013, 05:30-07:36 UT (01:30-03:36 EDT)
Location: Bootland Farm (Stewartville), Ontario, Canada 
(Long: -76 deg 29'; Lat: 45 deg 23')

Observed showers:
Antihelions (ANT) - 20:16 (304) -18
Sigma Capricornids (SCA) - 21:12 (318) -05
July Pegasids (JPE) - 23:20 (350) +12
Perseids (PER) - 00:20 (005) +50
Phi Piscids (PPS) - 01:24 (021) +30
c-Andromedids (CAN) - 02:12 (033) +51


Interval 1: 05:30-06:36 UT; clear; F 1.00; LM 6.50; facing SE50 deg; teff 1.00 hr.
Breaks: 5:37-43
PER: one: +3
Sporadics: nine: +1; +2(2); +3(3); +4(2); +5; mean: +3.00
Total meteors: ten

Interval 2: 06:36-07:36 UT; clear; F 1.00; LM 6.50; facing SE50 deg; teff 1.00 hr.
Breaks: None
JPE: three: +2; +3; +4
PER: two: +2; +4
PPS: one: +4
Sporadics: seven: +1(2); +2(3); +4(2); mean: +2.28
Total meteors: fourteen


Clear skies,

Pierre Martin
Ottawa, Ontario