(meteorobs) Finally Some Meteor Watching

[Paul Zeller]

  I caught a window of opportunity this morning (Aug. 7) between passing
cloud banks to get out and do some meteor watching. For the first time in
over a week, most of the haze and light fog cleared out for a few hours.
But conditions weren't ideal and I didn't have time to travel out to the
darker sky site I've located recently, so I had to settle for watching from
a lawn chair in my back yard. I was coated with mosquito repellent, with
the little bloodsuckers whining in my ears throughout the two sessions I
had.

  I certainly didn't achieve Paul Jones numbers (but I love your reports,
Paul!). On the bright side, I saw a couple of Perseids, including a very
impressive one.

  4:45 - 5:50 UT, LM = 4.9, Looking E-NE between the Great Square of
Pegasus and Cassiopeia.
  1 CAP (+2.0 mag.)
  2 SPO (+2.0 mag., +2.5 mag.)

  6:00 - 7:05 UT, LM = 4.8, Looking E-NE between Andromeda and Cassiopeia.
  2 PER (-2.0 mag., +2.0 mag.)
  Almost as soon as I lay back in the lawn chair, the first Perseid flared
almost overhead, and it was at least Jupiter brightness, yellowish-colored
with a glowing train that lasted just a couple of seconds. My first PER
sighting this year, and it was an awesome one!

  An hour after coming back inside, I went out to the back porch briefly,
and at 8:10 UT I happened to glance up and see a nice 0.0 mag. SDA soar
past high in the west.

  Hopefully better conditions will be around next weekend, after moonset,
closer to the Perseid peak.

  Paul Z
  Indianapolis, IN, USA
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