(meteorobs) Observation May 23/24 2014

[Koen Miskotte]

Hi Pierre,
Thanks for sharing your impressions!
Regards, Koen

-----Oorspronkelijk bericht----- 
From: Pierre Martin
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 4:35 AM
To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
Subject: (meteorobs) Observation May 23/24 2014

Hello all,

Here's my report for Camelopardalids (CAM) night.  Despite questionable 
weather and a variable forecast, I was able to get out under a dark sky near 
Pembroke and saw mainly clear skies all night (mag 6.4, 2.5/5 transparency). 
Just a few passing/dissipating clouds.  The sky was never too cloudy to 
obstruct my field of view (usually to the north, and occasionally shifted 
elsewhere when clouds came by).  Raymond Dubois joined me for the entire 
night.  We both setup equatorial mounts and cameras.  I had my Canon 6D 
(with 35mm f1.4 lens) and a Canon 5D (with 50mm f1.4 lens) mounted on my 
GPDX mount.  I took my time setting up, ensuring that everything was working 
as it should.  I prepared a short wave radio with a long external antenna to 
capture the CHU Time signal, due to the possibility that a strong meteor 
outburst (in such a case, I'd turn on the radio and let my tape recorder 
catch the audio time signals as I spoke whenever I'd see a meteor).

Just as I was setting up my cameras, a few minutes before 11pm (local time 
EDT), I took a glance up and saw my first meteor of the night which happened 
to be a CAM...and wow....a gorgeous, very slow moving mag 0 meteor that 
crawled through the head of Draco!  It changed colours from orange to green 
and then it fragmented (an unusual nebulous appearance) towards the end of 
its path!  It was definitely one of the most beautiful meteors that I had 
seen in some time.  This was an exciting start; the meteor lined up 
perfectly with the expected radiant, and it was still a few hours before the 
predicted peak.  I wondered, could a strong outburst be on its way?  If so, 
what a thrill it would be to see more of these beautiful slow meteors.

I signed on just before midnight (local time EDT).  Within just a minute 
into my watch...WOW!!!... a fabulous mag -3 yellow-orange CAM in the north 
east!!! It crawled VERY slowly and left a 3 sec train!  I shouted out loud 
and felt a sense of excitement; this could be the beginning of something 
special?  Raymond exclaimed that one of his cameras definitely caught it. 
The sky was clear and dark, the temperature was comfortable, the bugs were 
gone... things were looking good.

Unfortunately, the hours went by and the CAMs did not produce the big shower 
that many people were hoping for.  The CAMs picked up a bit towards the end 
of the night, just as Ken Whitnall and a friend were pulling in to join 
us... I saw seven CAMs within 27 minutes centred on 3am (local time EDT). 
All of these meteors were dim.  I watched as long as I could still see some 
stars in the brightening morning dawn.  The ISS made an absolutely stunning 
high pass, shining at about mag -4.  Several other interesting satellites or 
space debris were seen.  At dawn, I packed everything including my unused 
shortwave radio, and drove back home.

All in all, only a very mild CAM presence but noticeable nonetheless (with 
20 CAMs seen in all).  It was an enjoyable night under a dark sky.



May 23/24 2014, 03:55-08:20 UT (23:55-04:20 EDT)
Location: Soike Road (Cobden), Ontario, Canada
(Long: -76.78 West; Lat: 45.68 North)

Observed showers:
Camelopardalids (CAM) - 08:08 (122) +79
Anthelions (ANT) - 17:04 (256) -23
Eta Aquariids (ETA) -23:20 (350) +05


Period 1: 03:55-04:55 UT; clear; temp 12C, F 1.00; LM 6.40; facing N60 deg; 
teff 1.00 hr.
CAM: two: -3; +4
Sporadics: four: +2; +3(2); +4
Total meteors: six

Period 2: 04:55-05:55 UT; clear; temp 10C, F 1.00; LM 6.40; facing N60 deg; 
teff 1.00 hr.
CAM: two: 0; +1
ANT: two: +2; +3
Sporadics: four: +2; +3(2); +4
Total meteors: eight

Period 3: 05:55-06:55 UT; clear; temp 8C, F 1.00; LM 6.40; facing N60 deg; 
teff 1.00 hr.
CAM: six: 0; +2; +3(3); +4
Sporadics: ten: +1; +2(4); +4(2); +5(3)
Total meteors: sixteen

Period 3: 06:55-08:00 UT; clear; temp 7C, F 1.00; LM 6.20; facing N60 deg; 
teff 1.00 hr.
CAM: eight: +3(4); +4(3); +5
Sporadics: six: +1; +2; +3(3); +4
Total meteors: fourteen

Period 4: 08:00-08:20 UT; clear; temp 6C, F 1.00; LM 5.25; facing N70 deg; 
teff 0.33 hr.
CAM: two: 0; +3
ETA: one: +3
Total meteors: three



Clear skies,
Pierre Martin
Ottawa, Ontario





_______________________________________________
meteorobs mailing list
meteorobs at meteorobs.org
http://lists.meteorobs.org/mailman/listinfo/meteorobs