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(meteorobs) Re: good Orionids Oct 20/21
>Another excellent night, for the most part, in SW Fla. I got two hours
completed, then lost most of the third to clouds coming up from the Keys.
Clouded over again half into the fourth. Total time 2.93 hours and 98
meteors recorded.
>
>The first half hour (226-306 EDT) was phenomenal with 24 Orionids. Several
tight groups ran the total up. I was gunning for 50 but the second half
hour got only 8 more. Two complete hours 226-426 EDT (626-826 UT) plus a
partial hour 515-600 EDT (915-1000 UT) gave the following: 32,24,12
Orionids; 6,4,6 sporadics; 40,32,20 totals; 7.4,7.4,7.3 skies. There were
69 Orionids, 5 South Taurids, 2 North Taurids, 2 Epsilon Geminids, and 20
sporadics in total. The Orionids averaged 3.36m with the brightest a yellow
-3 with 1-sec train. Magnitude table for -1 to +6 has 1,8,7,10,6,8,16,12.
>
>The last period had rather low Orionid rates, disappointing after the
amazing start. It's running on the irregular rich side so far. I have only
a handful of occasions when Orionids reached 30/hr.
>
>Almost all of the Orionids were coming from 93,+15. Two Orionid-like
meteors in the club intersected at 89,+15. I didn't plot, but spent a lot
of time looking right at the radiant. This area is very rich in stars and I
enjoyed seeing the short meteors, several only half a degree long. This
made a mental radiant determination very easy. Continuing very rich in the
faintest meteors. The plateau maximum has just started; it runs to Oct
24/25. The meteors in the past have tended to get brighter by Oct 22/23.
Orionid rates are capable of reaching mid-20's during all this period, hence
I consider the max to be broad.
>
>Joseph's dip in his 2nd hour coincides partially with my final slow period.
>
>Temps were mid-50's, quite comfortable. Will take into November to get rid
of the last bugs, however.
>Could have some partly cloudy hours here on with a warming trend.
>
>Norman
>Fort Myers, Florida
>