(meteorobs) May 3/4, 2016 ETA observation from North Florida

[Koen Miskotte]

hi Paul,
A very nice report to read! I hope you get plenty clear nights in the coming days. 
Here in the Netherlands the weather forecasts are looking good. For me and fellow observer Michel Vandeputte it is a “sport” to hunt for an Eta Aquariid before the sky gets to light. At 3:10 local time the ETA radiant appears above the horizon, but at the same time morning twilight sets in. So we have a period of 1 or 1,5 hour to look for ETA’s. And we are very happy if we see 1 ETA! And (very) occasionally we see 2 of 3 ETA’s. 
Except for 2013, when I counted 12 ETA’s in the early morning of May 6. The ETA’s showed enhanced rates that year.

I was out during the nights April 30/May 1(no ETA’s), May 01/02 (1 ETA , +4) en last night May 03/04 (1 ETA, +4). And more clear nights will follow according to the weather predictions.
Regards, Koen




From: Paul Jones 
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2016 3:46 PM
To: Global Meteor Observing Forum 
Subject: (meteorobs) May 3/4, 2016 ETA observation from North Florida

Hi again all,
     Here is a more detailed report on my one hour ETA session from up on the "meteor roof" this morning.  One correction from the summary report: it was 17 total meteors vice 18.

May 3/4, 2016, Observer: Paul Jones, Location 5 miles southwest of St. Augustine, Florida 

0410-  0510 EDT (0810 - 0910 UT) Teff: 1.0 hours, No breaks LM: 6.0, Clear, Facing: South

8 ETA: 0, +2, +3(3), +4(2). +5(1)
1 ELY: +4
1 ANT:  -1
7 SPO: +1, +2, +3(3), +4(1), +5(1)
17 total meteors

5 of the 8 ETAs left visible trains (strangely though, the zero mag ETA did not)

I had two ETAs in quick succession about 15 seconds apart no more than three minutes into the watch, then it took about 20 minutes for me to see another.   As usual, most of the ETAs I saw were long-pathed and left nice trains.  They looked like quick, glowing  darts being thrown up into the sky from someone standing on the southeastern horizon.  I love the ETAs for this visual effect that only they seem to be able to produce in quite this way.

The one eta Lyrid (ELY) was faint and short going south near the bottom of Lyra, it will be interesting to see how this little shower evolves over the course of the next few mornings and this minor radiant is an added bonus to ETA watches in early May.  

The top meteor of the morning was by far the ANT!  It started in Ophiuchus and slowly paced its way northeastward going all the way over to the NE edge of Cygnus.  It glittered and sparked all along its path and left a thin train behind it.  It alternately glowed gold, silvery white, yellow and orange during the almost five seconds I had it in sight.  Not 30 seconds after that beauty finally ended, a nice +2 ETA popped going northwestward right over part of the track the ANT had just taken.  

I must have seen about a dozen satellites during the watch as well, going in just about  every direction save east to west....;o).

It looks like we have a frontal system coming through today or early tomorrow that should sweep out the skies behind it and give us a few cool and clear nights for the maximum period.  Hopefully, I can report for several more mornings.

Clear skies all, Paul

    


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