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(meteorobs) 1999 Geminids, CA/USA 14-Dec-1999



Greeting Fellow Observers,

An early cloud layer reduced my expectations for the evening, but
fortunately the skies had cleared by 10PM (PST), so I prepared for some
observing. My view was diminished in color resolution; Betelgeuse, while
bright, was lacking some of the color I have come to expect, and
telescopic views of the Orion Nebula were similarly washed out. The
Nebula was quite visible, just "flat". As a result I didn't spend a lot
of effort monitoring the colors of the meteors, most were simply white,
or yellow/white or blue/white.



Location:       Novato, California, USA
Lat/Long:       122.5 E, 38.0 N
Begin:          11:15 PM PST (0715 UT)
End:            01:30 AM PST (0930 UT)
Break:          12:20-12:25 (08:20-0825) indicated by reduced Teff in
interval 0815UT.
Rec. Method:    Notepad, Time and Magnitude (2-3 secs per observation)
Limiting Mag:   5.3 (estimated from: Pleiades 6 stars, Gemini 12 stars,
Taurus 8 stars)
Field of View:  Faced SSE, Gemini to Left, Jupiter to Right, Elev 45-100
degrees
                (derived from the NAMN charts, map#1)
                Begin Session: RA 30 to 120, Dec -15 to +40
                End Session:   RA 60 to 180, Dec -20 to +35 (?)

Totals:         88 Meteors (6 Sporadic, 82 Geminids)

Magnitude:      -2  -1   0  +1  +2  +3  +4  +5
Count:           1   6   5   6   9  27  22  12


Observations by Timed Periods (15 minute intervals)

Start Time  Teff    Counts       Magnitudes                       NOTES
PST/UT       %      GEM  SPO     -2  -1   0  +1  +2  +3  +4  +5

2315/0715   90       10    0      -   -   1   -   2   4   3   -
2330/0730   90       10    0      -   -   1   1   2   2   3   1
2345/0745   80        7    1      -   -   -   -   -   4   3   1
0000/0800   90        9    2      -   2   1   1   1   2   2   2    both
-1s had long trains
0015/0815   60        6    1      -   1   1   1   1   2   -   2
0030/0830   90       10    0      1   2   -   -   1   3   4   -    the
-2 was very short
0045/0845   90       11    0      -   1   1   3   -   3   3   -
0100/0900   95        7    1      -   -   -   -   -   2   3   3
0115/0915   90       12    1      -   1   -   -   2   5   1   4    the
-1 had a nice train
0130/0930 End Observations



Unusual Occurrences:

A magnitude 3, squirrelly meteor near the radiant, appeared to spiral as
it moved East to West
Several of the brighter meteors left trains lasting up to 5 seconds
There were 3 pairs of simultaneous meteors. 
Also several "bursts" of meteors in close succession.
Interesting to note that there were two "dead" periods 0745-0800 and
0900-0915.



Robert Leyland.
--
"'tis pleasure sure in being mad, which none but madmen know"
--Cervantes

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