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(meteorobs) Re: NM97Dec 8/9 Monocerotids good
My last clear night was 1997 Dec 8/9 with sky LM7.3 throughout. I observed
222 - 608 EST (722 - 1108 UT) for 3:46 hours and saw 60 meteors. For the 3
complete hours 226 - 526 EST (726 - 1026 UT) total rates were 13,23,16;
Geminids 3,4,3; Monocerotids 0,6,3. In addition were 5 other sporadics, 1
other Geminid, 1 South Taurid, 1 North Taurid, 1 South Chi Orionid, 2 Sigma
Hydrids, and 2 December Leonids.
It all began with a bang. I was seeing a meteor per minute for the first
10 minutes, then it just died for a while. The Monocerotids came on strong
the second hour and boosted my total for that one. Geminids were what I
would expect for the date. No meteor was brighter than -1m.
There was a two-object procession just before dawn moving N to S; the
components were 5 degrees apart. Something must have been launched very
recently.
Timing of comfort was good; a big warmup from the prior rather cold and
cloudy night. Temperature was in the low 60's with a few mosquitoes around,
especially during dawn. A lot of them become active like clockwork at that
time. The encephalitis alert has been officially removed as of Friday.
Since then we have had some quite warm weather getting into the mid-80'sF,
but misty at night with 100% humidity so I didn't observe. For the entire
Geminid max period we are under an active stationary front with a lot of
rain. Nearly a foot has fallen north of Tampa, and we may share in that
here the next couple of days. The front causes a quick shift of 10 degrees
when it moves a little one way or the other. I have never been so
thoroughly washed out of the Geminids before -- been cloudy a few times but
with little or no rain.
The year is going to end with under 1000 meteors. Maybe I will get 1 or 2
more nights during the vacation period.
Norman
Norman W. McLeod III
Visual Program Coordinator
American Meteor Society
Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganet.com