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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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