[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

(meteorobs) July 15 Observations

-- [ From: Robert Lunsford * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --

I watched for 4 hours this morning with from the Descanso observatory .
The activity was better than expected despite the moonlight. I counted a
total of 45 meteors which was fairly well spread out throughout the
session. A surprising 7 possible Perseids were recorded along with
activity from the Alpha Caps, both branches of the Delta Aquarids, and
the Alpha Cygnids. The air was dry and the transparency was excellent
allowing a good limiting magnitude despite the moon. There was a bank of
high clouds to the north low along the horizon but they stayed there all
night and caused no interference. The highlight of the night was a
second magnitude, distinctly orange colored sporadic that slowly made
its way through Cepheus. There were also two long lasting (10 seconds at
maximum brightness) Iridium flashes low in the east both peaking near
magnitude -1.

July 15, 1998

0745-0845 UT    0.93   6.51   2 ACY   2 CAP   2 PER   1 SDA   3 SPO   10
TOTAL

0845-0945 UT    0.90   6.43   2 ACY   1 CAP   2 NDA   3 PER   1 SDA   6
SPO    15 TOTAL

0945-1045 UT    0.92   6.20   2 PER   9 SPO   11 TOTAL

1045-1145 UT    0.93   5.87   1 CAP   8 SPO   9 TOTAL


TOTALS          3.68   6.25   4  ACY   4 CAP   2 NDA   7 PER   2 SDA  
26 SPO   45 TOTAL

The first column is the period watched in Universal Time (PDT+7 hours).
The second column is the percent of an hour actually spent watching the
sky. Time is lost for breaks, plotting, and data entry. The third column
is the average limiting magnitude during this period with a minimum of 4
estimates per period. The last columns list the activity seen during
each period.

I was facing north at an altitude of 70 degrees. No breaks were taken
during this session. ACY = ALPHA CYGNIDS (DMS), CAP = CAPRICORNIDS, NDA
= NORTH DELTA AQUARIDS, PER = PERSEIDS, SDA = SOUTH DELTA AQUARIDS,  and
SPO = SPORADIC (random activity) 

Beginning Temperature/Relative Humidity:   62 F (17 C)   40%

Ending Temperature/Relative Humidity:   48 F (9 C)   33%   

MAGNITUDES:

ACY   -1 (1)   +2 (1)   +3 (2)   AVERAGE : +1.75

CAP   +1 (1)   +2 (1)   +3 (1)   +4 (1)   AVERAGE: +2.50   

NDA   +2 (1)   +4 (1)   AVERAGE: +3.00

PER   0 (1)   +2 (3)   +3 (2)   +4 (1)   AVERAGE: +2.29

SDA   +3 (1)   +4 (1)   AVERAGE +3.50

SPO   0 (2)  +1 (1)   +2 (6)   +3 (9)   +4 (7)   +5 (1)  AVERAGE: +2.81 
 


Bob Lunsford

San Diego, California USA