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(meteorobs) Aug. 24/25 Report (GRALE)
METEOR VISUAL OBSERVING FORM
SUMMARY REPORT
DATE: Aug 24/25 1996 BEGIN: 0700UT END: 0855UT
OBSERVER : GRALE (Lewis J. Gramer)
LOCATION : Long: 71o 06' 24" W; Lat: 42o 25' 06" N
City & State: Medford, MA, USA; Elevation: 5 m
RECORDING METHOD: Tape Recorder and Plotting
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OBSERVED SHOWERS: Use 3 letter Codes
PER 65 +60 (RA 4h20)
KCG 288 +60 (RA 19h12)
AUR 76 +42 (RA 5h04)
NDA 347 -2 (RA 23h08)
NIA 332 -5 (RA 22h08)
Non-IMO Showers (SPI not active yet according to IMO):
SPI 358 -6 (Sept Psc - IMO shwr) (RA 23h50)
AUE 49 -5 (August Eridanids) (RA 3h16)
AUM 165 +63 (Alpha Ursa Majorids) (RA 11h00)
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OBSERVING PERIODS:
PERIOD(UT) FIELD LM Teff F PER KCG AUR NDA NIA SPOR
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0700-0855 22h+50 5.25 1.67h 1.11 5 0 0 3 2 4
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MAGNITUDE DISTRIBUTIONS:
SHOWER -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 +1 +2 +3 +4 +5 +6 TOTAL
PER 2 2.5 .5 5
KCG 0
AUR 0
NDA .5 2 .5 3
NIA .5 1 .5 2
SPOR 1 2 1 4
Total: 1 3 7.5 2.5 14
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SKY OBSCURED:
%10 FROM: 0700UT TO: 0855UT [Part of FOV blocked by bldgs]
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MEAN MAGNITUDES
SPOR = +2.75 (sample of 4 meteors)
PER = +2.70 (sample of 5 meteors)
NDA = +3.00 (sample of 3 meteors)
NIA = +3.00 (sample of 2 meteors)
DEAD TIME:
Period 1 13 plots 00h10m
TOTAL : 00h10m
BREAKS :
Period 1 0735-0740 00h05m
TOTAL : 00h05m
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LIMITING MAGNITUDE:
STAR STAR
TIME AREA COUNT LM (Mins in effect)
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0300 7 8 5.2 15
14 8 5.2 15
0330 2 8 5.4 30
7 9 5.2 30
0400 2 8 5.4 30
7 8 5.2 30
0430 2 8 5.4 27
7 8 5.2 27
0455 2 7 5.1 13
7 7 4.9 13
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MEAN LIMITING MAGNITUDE: 5.25
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METEOR DATA
PLOT
# TIME (UT) SPEED TRAIN ACCU-
H min MAG 1-5 COLOR SHWR SEC MAP # RACY
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1 0311 4 3 SPOR 3 1
2 0320 3 4 PER? 1 2 (*)
3 0324 3 3 SPOR 3 1
4 0327 3.5 4 PER? 1 2 (*)
5 #### NO METEOR 5! GAP IN SEQUENCE.
6 0346 2.5 2.5 NIA 6 2
7 0353 3.5 2 NIA 6 1
8 0358 3 3.5 NDA 6 1
9 0408 3.5 3 NDA 3 2
10 0414 3 3.5 SPOR 3 2
11 0418 2.5 4 PER 1 1
12 0424 1 3 SPOR (Not Plotted)
13 0433 2 3.5 PER? 6 2 (*)
14 0441 2.5 3 NDA 6 1
15 0442 2.5 4 PER? 1 2 (*)
## 0855 ENDED SESSION DUE TO TWILIGHT AND SKUNKS (!)
(*) - Meteors marked by asterisks have additional data in Remarks.
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VELOCITY SCALE: PLOT ACCURACY:
0 = Stationary 1 = Accurate Plot
1 = Very Slow 2 = Normal Plot
2 = Slow 3 = Generalized Direction
3 = Medium
4 = Fast
5 = Very Fast
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REMARKS: Seeing throughout session was medium.
Dead time of 45 seconds was deducted per plotted meteor.
Plot charts will be forwarded to Mark Davis of NAMN via postal mail.
Meteors #2, #4, #13, and #15 were all noted as PERs, despite very
questionable alignment with the official radiant, because all were
seen as very "characteristic" in both path length and speed. The
only explanations are: 1) undue plotting errors, which I believe I
avoided; 2) a chance alignment, despite the speed, relative bright-
ness, and the apparent diffuse radiant formed by these meteors; or,
3) that these meteors may hint at a late subradiant of the stream?
PERSONAL NOTE:
Tonight's observations were a study in perseverance: after initially
discovering that the local Parks Department had put a lock on my
favorite observing spot, and that even the State Police didn't have
a key to it yet, I was forced to do my first-ever official plotting
session from my own very imperfect backyard. Careful positioning of
my lawn chair allowed only a 10% sky obscuration to be achieved, but
a full 20 mins dark adaptation was required to reach the minimum acc-
eptable LM for meteor observing, in spite of the "cold-front skies".
This home-session was a lucky one however, as I discovered two things
which I had not known about my own house: we have bats lodging under
our eaves, which is a welcome discovery; AND, we have a family of very
BOLD skunks also using our garage as a way-station! These varmints
actually forced me inside for 5 minutes in the middle of the watch,
and then necessitated a hasty retreat on my part as morning dawned!
I haven't felt so close to the wilderness in a long time. ;>