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(meteorobs) Re: NM 98Jun1/2 meteors rather good



Quite a contrast with the prior night   --  1998 June 1/2 meteor rates
almost doubled.  It was enough to induce a lot of interest and some
excitement.  I observed for 3:00 hours, 226 - 526 EDT  (626 - 926 UT), in
sky LM7.3 and recorded 35 meteors.  Night temperatures ran the same as
yesterday.

For the 3 complete hours 226 - 526, total rates were 13,12,10.  No serious
breaks in the activity ; it just kept coming at a fairly steady pace.  Among
the 35 meteors were 4 SAG, 2 Eta Aquarids, 1 Chi Scorpiid, and 28 sporadics.
The latter averaged 2.96m and ranged from -2m to +6m.  The best of the night
was an orange  -3m Eta Aquarid with 4-second train at 459 AM.  It is ironic
that I had to wait nearly a month after maximum to see the brightest Eta of
1998.  SAG rates were 3,0,1 ; quite good to start off and the best I've seen
from this one.  I haven't seen any Tau Herculids in 1998 as of the date of
this writing, June 4.

At 315 EDT there was a stationary  +2m flareup in Cygnus that lasted 10
seconds.  Coordinates RA 302, Dec +33.  It was a brief rerun of 1975 August
except on the other side of Deneb.  One of our very distant satellites, not
an "Aries Flasher."

A series of Iridium flashes begins around 9 PM tomorrow evening here,
appearing 6 minutes earlier on successive evenings in nearly the same spot.
Will definitely get Joan out to see a couple of them.

Norman