(meteorobs) July 29/30 2016 observations from North Florida - SDAs go bonkers!

[Paul Jones]

Greetings again all,
     Once again, our nightly pattern repeated itself as it was overcast
with thick cirrus haze until after 1:00 a.m. when again it began to break
up nicely.  One can almost set one's time by it here lately!  By 1:25, I
was ready to rock and roll one more time for three hours from trusty
Matanzas Inlet.

     In contrast to yesterday, however, I had no human company at all in
the parking lot with me this morning.  I did have fellow ACAC founding
member Brenda Branchett in contact via cell phone by voice and text however
as she observed from Deltona, Florida, about 75 miles to my southwest.  We
had fun comparing notes on mutually seen meteors.   Her data follows mine.
And it was a busy session yet again!

Here's what I had:

CAP - alpha Capricornids
JPE - July Pegasids
ANT - Anthelions
PER - Perseids
SDA: South delta Aquariids
PAU - Piscids Austrinids
GDR - July gamma Draconids
BPE - beta Perseids

Session One:
July 28/29 2016, observer: Paul Jones, Location: North Bank of Matanzas
Inlet, Florida, Lat: 29.75N, Long: 81.24W (approximately 18 miles south of
St. Augustine, Florida).LM: 6.9, clear, Facing: east

0125 - 0225 EDT (0525 - 0625 UT), Teff: 1.0 hour, No breaks

13 SDA: 0, +1(2), +2(2), +3(4), +4(3), +5
4 PER: +3(2), +4(2)
3 CAP: +1, +2, +3
1 GDR: +2
10 SPO: +2, +3(3). +4(4), +5(2)
31 total meteors

9 of the 31 meteors (5 of the SDAs, 2 APs and the GDR) left trains. Yellow
was noted in couple of the brighter SDAs and CAPs.


Session Two:

July 28/29, 2016 Observer: Paul Jones, Location: North Bank of Matanzas
Inlet, Florida, Lat: 29.75N, Long: 81.24W (approximately 18 miles south of
St. Augustine, Florida).



0225 – 0325 EDT (0625 – 0725 UT) Teff: 1.0 hour, No breaks, LM: 6.9, Clear,
except for some very slight haze near the horizons


14 SDA: 0, +1(3) +2(2), +3(2), +4(4), +5(2)

6 PER: +2, +3(3), +4, +5

3 CAP: 0. +1, +3

1 GDR: +3

1 ANT: +2

12 SPO: +1, +2, +3(3), +4(4), +5(3)

37 total meteors


12 of the 37 meteors (6 of the SDAs, 2 PERs, 2 CAPs and 2 SPO) left trains.
Yellow was noted in couple of the brighter SDAs CAPs and PERs.


Session Three:

July 28/29, 2016 Observer: Paul Jones, Location: North Bank of Matanzas
Inlet, Florida, Lat: 29.75N, Long: 81.24W (approximately 18 miles south of
St. Augustine, Florida).



0325 – 0425 EDT (0725 – 0825 UT) Teff: 1.0 hour, No breaks, LM: 6.9, Clear,
except for some very slight haze near the horizons


23 SDA: 0, +1(2) +2(4), +3(7), +4(6), +5(3)

8 PER: +1, +2, +3(3), +4, +5

3 CAP: +1, +2, +3

12 SPO: +1(2), +2(3), +3(2), +4(4), +5

46 total meteors


13 of the 46 meteors (6 of the SDAs, 3 PERs, 2 CAPs and 2 SPO) left trains.
Yellow was noted in couple of the brighter SDAs, CAPs and PERs.


    It was interesting to note the change in characteristics of the SDAs
during the watch.  In the first two hours, the radiant was east of the
meridian and the meteors were somewhat brighter and their path
lengths longer.  In the third hour, however, the radiant was west of the
meridian and the path lengths noticeably shortened and the meteors got
fainter, yet became more numerous.  I've noticed this effect with the
Orionids of October as well.


   The PERs were numerous once again, but seemed quite a bit fainter than
the ones I had yesterday morning.  In fact. most of all the meteors were
fainter this morning, it helped to have that last hour mostly moon-free
also!


     My fellow ACACer Brenda Branchett put in two hours of her own down in
Deltona this morning and battled cirrus haze and light pollution, but saw a
respectable 34 total meteors with 18 SDAs between 0330 and 0530 this
morning.  Her Limiting Magnitude was only about 4.5, once again showing the
difference sky condition has on observed meteor rates.


Here's her data:


Observer: Brenda Branchett, Location: Deltona Florida (75 miles SW of St.
Augustine, Florida)Sky Conditions:  4-4.5 magnitude, hazy

60-70 percent of the sky visible

3:30-4:30

Delta Aquarid - 10
Perseids - 6
Alpha Caps - 2
Sporadic - 2

Total - 20

4:30-5:30

Delta Aquaird- 8
Perseids - 4
Sporadics -2

Total - 14

3 Satellites also graced her skies.

Most meteors were 1st or 2nd magnitude. She had a few 3rd also.

We had fun comparing notes and impressions of meters we each saw and helped
each other stay awake through the watch...;o).  Brenda and I have
co-observed many times and our results are usually very similar to each
other under the same skies.  It is only the magnificent Matanzas Inlet
skies and wide horizons that allow me to see so many meteors!

I plan to be back out again in the morning...  Hope other folks can get out
some, too!

More later, Paul J in North Florida
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