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(meteorobs) Re:past Quads + weather



There was a lot of cloudiness until after 1 AM past 2 nights which is oddly
a favorable development.  The clouds retard the arrival of fog or prevent it
by blanketing heat in.  Just like summer, they form inland from daytime
heating then drift toward the coast after sunset.  The last 2 hours this
morning were very good in town with no fog.  I had LM5.5 out the back door
after 5 AM.  Watched casually for ten minutes but didn't see any meteors.
Before the clouds arrived early last night, the town sky was also very good,
close to 6.0.  No stadium lights or other outside activity going on.  Would
like to try for an evening Quadrantid tonight.

I haven't had any recent luck with the Quads.  Have forgotten the last time
I saw them, will have to look it up.  1985 I remember well, a perfectly
timed return here but spoiled the last 2 hours by thickening cirrus from a
cold front.  I saw 32 bright Quads in the cirrus that last hour so a great
show was stolen.  That remains my all-time Quad record.  The only good thing
about that morning was temps at 70 F.

Prior to 1985 I did fairly well but never did get the peak.  Several years
were decent with rates in mid-20's.  A well-timed max in 1973 was seen by
Mark Adams from Pennsylvania ; he saw 69 the last hour.  Mark is perception
1.15, plus he was well north of here.  These facts tell me I would have seen
over 50 myself.  That morning in central Florida I was completely fogged out
after midnight -- earlier was beautifully clear but I knew it wouldn't last.
I'm very glad Mark saw it --- someone with calibrated perception was needed
versus all the heavy correcting Hindley engaged in at the time.

Norman