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Re: (meteorobs) What next?



Regarding Stephanie's request for info on the Quadrantids, here is something 
that was posted by George Zay on AOL's Observers' Outpost which should be of 
interest to all.  By the way, if you live within 100 miles of Long Island 
(where I live), forget about it . . . it'll probably rain (or even snow).   
-- joe rao

QUADRANTIDS - The next major shower is the Quadrantids. This first annual 
shower usually peaks only a few days after New Years Day. The Quadrantids 
have the shortest duration of all the major showers being about 4 days. But I 
find only the peak night is worth the effort. The short but intense maximum 
can produce rates in excess of 100 meteors per hour for those lucky observers 
who are located in the right place at the right time. This year the right
place and time will be for observers between Europe and the U.S. East Coast.  
Other places in the U.S. should have relatively good activity, but nothing 
like the East coast can expect.  Begin your Quadrantid observations around 
midnight. Any earlier would be a waste of time for most places, but some 
northerly locations will be circumpolar. The shower peak must be expected to 
coincide near 5 am local time in order to see it at it's best. Observing
only 6 hours on either side of maximum often will produce rates no better 
than 20-30 meteors per hour. The Quads produce abundant fireballs at maxiumum 
and are thus easy to photograph. This year the moon won't be a problem. It 
will be 2 days shy of a new moon. A 28mm f/2.8 wide angle lens or 50mm f/1.4 
normal is my preference with HP-5 developed for 1600 ASA or T-max 400 film. 
But just about any fast speed film can get relatively good results.  Aim
camera towards the North with exposures up to 30 minutes from a dark 
location. Don't aim camera directly at the radiant. The meteors will appear 
very short and difficult to find in the print later. Aim at least 30 degrees 
in any direction away from the radiant, but preferably around 50 to 70 
degrees above the horizon. This shower is invisible from the Southern 
Hemisphere due to the northerly declination of the radiant and the short 
nights that occur
there at this time of year. The shower's parent source is comet 96 P/Macholz. 
2000 Max: Jan 3/4 at 5 hrs UT, ZHR: 120; Vel. 41 km/s (Fast); Duration: Jan 
1-5; Population Index: 2.1(A lot of bright shower members); Radiant Diameter: 
1.13 degrees; Train Production 5.1%; Radiant: RA 15h20 m, Dec. +49 degrees. 
Three Letter Shower Code: QUA
GeoZay
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