[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) Geminids at Kitt Peak
Sorry this is late folks but the internet kicked this message back as
undeliverable and I have been on travel (again).
Hi everyone;
Just got back from a week long exhausting business (recreational meteor
obs) trip to Arizona. Kitt Peak National Observatory gave me permission to
observe from thier visitor parking lot for the week leading up to the max
of the Geminids. Dec 9/10 and 10/11 were cloudy but clear skies prevailed
afterwards for Dec 11/12 and 12/13. The rates on Dec 12/13 in the early AM
were awesome. Though not quite reaching levels seen in Europe they were
the best I had seen in a long while. Unfortunately between 8 hour plus
meetings with a contractor during the day and 2 hours driving to/from the
mountain I could barely stay awake the entire night! It got really scarey
when approaching the Kitt Peak observatory summit after dark, one must use
parking
lights only while driving on switch back roads where the lane markings
paint has worn away!
I had one half hour period however where the meteors seem to be coming in
at two-four per minute but very few fireballs overall. I slept off and on
during the night but had the intensified video running continuously. I
have 14 hours of video tape to review that should nicely bracket all sides
of the radiant position. My rates are for lm = 6.1 Dec 11/12 and lm = 6.3
Dec 12/13. I will send a full report to Mark within the week. (Mark,
since there is so much data I will be sending you a floppy rather than hard
copy).
Dec 11/12 6:35-8:30 UT 43 Gem 7 Hyd 13 Spo
Dec 12/13 4:00-5:40 UT 52 Gem 1 Hyd 18 Spo
Dec 12/13 9:50-11:30 UT 150 Gem 11 Hyd 28 Spo
Pete Gural
pgural@trg1.saic.com