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(meteorobs) Re: Nov 9/10 meteors not bad



After just 2 hours of sleep I was out for meteors Nov 9/10 a little later :
1226-438 EST  (526-938 UT).  Sky continues superb : 7.3 first two hours then
7.4 the second two.  Total time 4.20 hours with 63 meteors : 7 South
Taurids, 21 North Taurids, 5 Leonids, and 30 sporadics.  North Taurids last
3 hours all had 6/hr, not bad.  Sporadics went 6,6,8,8 ; again quite
consistent.  Leonids not doing much yet, only 1-2/hr.  Brightest was a
blue-yellow-white  -5m North Taurid at 359 EST, quite late in the night.  It
had several bursts in 2 seconds.  Average sporadic mag was a bright 2.80,
brought up by a lot of brighter ones +2 to -1 that were more numerous than
previously.  N Taurids averaged 3.10 without the fireball, 2.71 with.
Handled the cold quite well, around 48-50.  I record meteors generally 3 at
a time.  No  plotting so far this month.


From George:

>Norman,
>It was just a few weeks ago that you announced your having a "slump" during a
>recent observation a few hours prior to dawn and then picking up again. Any
>explanation for your deviation from your 1970's study?

>variations.  I think nodding off and alertness has become too much of a
>"whipping boy" for all inconsistencies with  meteor rates. 
>George Z.

Perceptions are going to have their own averages just like anything else.
The above incident just happened out of the blue.  I did not get suddenly
tired.  People do vary from hour to hour even disregarding the actual meteor
rates ; I've seen it many times.  This concept I have thought about for many
years, but couldn't act on it since none of the original observers in the
1970's continued in the field for very long afterwards.  Felix Martinez
exhibited his pattern most of the time we were observing together.  Mark
Adams noticed the exact same thing when he was with Felix independently.
The effect is quite real.  To have a "slump" doesn't mean you are falling
asleep ; it is merely a time when you just aren't seeing any meteors.  You
don't have to feel tired to have a down hour in perception ; everyone has
his own pattern. 

Nov 7/8 I started off with a bang : 17 meteors the first hour, with 2 right
at the end.  Then the second hour started dead ; in 25 more minutes I had
seen only 1 more meteor.  That hour got 11 more by its end.

The main part of the Italy fireworks show was not as good as Spain's a week
earlier due to lack of special effects shells, but Italy's finale was much
better ---- lengthy and synchronized with the 1812 Overture.  My video came
out well.  Germany's turn comes Wed night, then Canada next Sat.  Will have
a full 2 hours of video by the time it's all over.

Norman
Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganetdot com