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(meteorobs) Re:pre-max Florida skunked

No observing in Florida yet.  Not getting much rain along the SW coast, but
high-level flow from the N is bringing in all the cirrus blowoff from a
stationary front well N of here.  It dissipates just short of Cuba.  Can't
drive down that far.  Possibly less cirrus to come down tonight, got to hope
for a thinout after midnight.  If clear then I would start about 1220AM
local, soon enough as the radiant isn't even up for the first dark hour.
Will stay dark until about 545AM.  We get 8 hours of full darkness so I can
spare the earlier ones to rest.  Had hoped for SW flow at all levels to keep
us clear this far south but coming from N there is an endless supply of crud
to throw this way.

In 1972 I plotted all non-Perseids through the max period while facing S,
tracing out Aquarid activity which never let up.  Aquarids can be detected
to about Aug 25.  Dead time for one plot about 5-10s, due to watching sky
while planning the plot combined with solid familiarity with AMS charts.

I learned the constellations from H A Rey's book The Stars:A New Way to See
Them.  This is by far and away the best beginning star book ever written.
The constellations are drawn to look like their names, instead of abstract
stick shapes.  Enough fainter stars have to be included to do this, so they
are not fully appreciated from city sites.  But by knowing the sky this way
and arriving at a dark site, one won't endure the
couldn't-recognize-the-constellations syndrome.  My best friend from our
earliest observing days learned from the S&T charts, and he never did know
the sky as well as I.

Every time I see a chart with Orion's feet tied together, I just shudder.
How is he supposed to walk?  I know Leo with all 4 legs instead of a
backwards ? with a triangle, and Taurus with 4 legs also.  Even Ursa Major
is turned around to make a realistic nose and no long tail.  Sagittarius I
know as an archer with 2 feet instead of just a teapot, but his feet would
be out of reach of northern observers.  All this adds up to an early ability
to plot well, and Olivier was pleased right away with my results.  1961 was
my training year, then he began using my 1962 plots.

Looking at Bob L's rates from last night, his good perception is kicking in.
39 P's the night before max in sky not as dark as I usually get.  I would
expect about 25 to be my best rate.

Norman
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