(meteorobs) Perseids from SoCal Aug 14, 2015

[Robert Lunsford]

I made it out for another 4 hours of Perseid viewing on the morning of the 14th. I rarely ever go out on the night after max for the Perseids as the max usually leaves me too pooped. After missing the morning of the 12th though I was determined to get at least 2 nights in for the Perseids. 

The sky was once again clear all the way to the coast but my limiting magnitude estimates were still a bit better than the previous night. Luckily there was no wind tonight so viewing conditions were nearly perfect. The Perseids were obviously less active by over 50%. I did manage to catch 4 definite Beta Perseids tonight. There may have been some on the previous night but they were lost in all the main Perseid activity. I also caught a couple of Kappa Cyginds and 2 Eridanids. The meteor of the night was an orange -3 Perseid the shot high in the north with several bursts and a 10 second train. An long orange zero magnitude Eridanid was also memorable. 

The crowds were also significantly less but several cars did stay until dawn, which is unusual. There was no one grilling tonight so I didn't bother taking any breaks. It was a very warm morning and hardly needed any covering. I'll be thinking of this when I am out freezing for the Geminids in December!  

Observer: Robert Lunsford (LUNRO) 
Date: 15-Aug 14 Mean Solar Long: 141.102 
Beginning Time (UT) 0800 Ending Time (UT) 1200 
Total TeFF: 4.00 
 
LOCATION: Pine Valley Viewpoint, CA, USA 
LONG: 116 29' 47" W LAT: 32 49' 39" N 
Elevation: 1300 m Bortle Scale: Class 3: Rural Sky 
Beginning Temperature/Relative Humidity: 76F - 40% 
Ending Temperature/Relative Humidity: 71F - 47% 
METHOD: Visual Recording on Tape 
-------------------------- 
Showers Observed 
 
BPE  03:28 (052) +36    00-01-01-02     04 Total 
ERI   03:08 (047) -09     00-01-00-01     02 Total 
KCG 19:04 (286) +59    01-00-01-00     02 Total 
PER  03:12 (048) +58    24-18-22-25     89 Total 
SPO                               06-09-06-14     35 Total 
Total Hourly Counts       31-29-30-42     132 Total 
--------------------------- 

Period 1   0800-0900 UT 
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds)   Mean LM 6.61 
FOV 330 +70   TOTAL TeFF:1.00 
Mean Solar Long: 141.034 
 
Meteor Data: 
KCG 1, PER 24, SPO 6  TOTAL 31 
 
Magnitude Distribution 
KCG  +2 (1) Mean +2.00 
PER  -1 (1) 0 (2) +1 (5) +2 (9) +3 (4) +4 (1) +5 (2)  Mean +2.00 
SPO  0 (1) +1 (2) +3 (1) +4 (2)  Mean + 2.17 
---------------------------- 
 
Period 2   0900-1000 UT 
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds)   Mean LM +6.51 
FOV 345 +70   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00 
Mean Solar Long: 141.074 
 
Meteor Data: 
BPE 1, ERI 1, PER 18, SPO 9  TOTAL 29 
 
Magnitude Distribution 
BPE  +1 (1) Mean +1.00
ERI  0 (1) Mean 0.00
PER  -3 (1) -1 (1) 0 (3) +1 (5) +2 (4) +3 (3) +4 (1)  Mean +1.22 
SPO +2 (1) +3 (3) +4 (3) +5 (2)  Mean + 3.67 
---------------------------- 
 
Period 3   1000-1100 UT 
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds)   Mean LM 6.50 
FOV 000 +70   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00 
Mean Solar Long: 141.114 
 
Meteor Data: 
BPE 1, KCG 1, PER 22, SPO 6  TOTAL 30 
 
Magnitude Distribution 
BPE  +2 (1) Mean +2.00 
KCG  +2 (1) Mean +2.00 
PER   -1 (1) 0 (3) +1 (3) +2 (6) +3 (5) +4 (4)  Mean +2.05
SPO  +2 (1) +3 (4) +4 (1)  Mean +3.00
---------------------------- 
 
Period 4   1100-1200 UT 
F = 1.00 (0% Clouds)   Mean LM 6.34 
FOV 015 +50   TOTAL TeFF: 1.00 
Mean Solar Long: 141.154 
 
Meteor Data: 
BPE 2, ERI 1, PER 25, SPO 14  TOTAL 42 
 
Magnitude Distribution 
BPE  +3 (1) +4 (1) Mean +3.50
ERI   +3 (1) Mean +3.00
PER  -1 (1) 0 (4) +1 (4) +2 (4) +3 (5) +4 (7)  Mean +2.16 
SPO  +2 (5) +4 (4) +5 (5)  Mean +3.64 
---------------------------- 
 
Total Magnitude Distribution 
BPE +1 (1) +2 (1) +3 (1) +4 (1)  Mean +2.50 
ERI  0 (1) +3 (1)  Mean +1.50 
PER -3 (1) -1 (4) 0 (12) +1 (17) +2 (23) +3 (17) +4 (13) +5 (2)  Mean +1.92 
SPO 0 (1) +1 (2) +2 (7) +3 (8) +4 (10) +5 (7)  Mean +3.29