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(meteorobs) East Georgia Fireball and Bootids
Despite my reluctance to go out tonight due to another round of
sub-freezing temps, I was rewarded nonetheless for my efforts. Had it not been
for the desire to get consecutive night coverage of the Xi Bootids, I would have
just stayed home. I would have missed out.
The rates remained strong and this was a bit of a surprise. The skies were
crystal clear. In fact, I was a bit shocked to count 26 stars in Leo during one
count 1st period, for a brief LM of +6.81, the highest I have yet to record. I
was at that time able to see a faint star near Regulus I'd never counted before.
That was another surprise.
The Xi Bootids put on a most impressive performance. A whopping 10
candidates crossed a possible radiant plotted near 14hr11min +16. The last
period, with Bootes near zenith, saw 4 candidates. This pleasing result proved
to be surprise #3. I used an area of only 6 degrees diameter to construct the
radiant.
The best surprise of all, however, was a slow fireball that came from the
direction of Virgo towards the ENE horizon at 07:58 UT, only eight minutes into
my observation. The distinctly aqua colored meteor quickly reached a brightness
of -5/-6 then ended with a burst that was at least -7. The wake/trail was
plainly visible in the glow of the fireball. No sounds or persistent train were
noted. This has to be among the top four most memorable fireballs I have seen!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OBSERVER: Kim S. Youmans (YOUKI) DATE:02-05/06-00
BEGIN: 07:50UT END11:10UT LOCATION: Treutlen Co, Ga.
82. 24' 25" W; 32. 24' 45" N METHOD: Tape
Elev 240 ft Facing South
3 periods, sky 0% obscured, No breaks
Period 1 07:50 - 09:01 UT SPO(17)
Dead time =6 min Teff = 1.08 F= 1.00
SolarLong. 316.856x
Period 2 09:01 - 10:07 UT SPO(9)VIR(1)
Dead time = 5 min Teff = 1.02 F= 1.00
SolarLong. 316.905x
Period 3 10:07 - 11:10 UT SPO(15)
Dead time = 5 min Teff = .97 F= 1.00
SolarLong. 316.950x
Limiting Magnitudes
08:11 UT (IMO 11)+6.32 (IMO 9)+6.61
08:40 UT (IMO 11)+6.38 (IMO 9)+6.81
09:10 UT (IMO 11)+6.32 (IMO 9)+6.64
09:40 UT (IMO 11)+6.38 (IMO 9)+6.61
10:10 UT (IMO 11)+6.38 (IMO 9)+6.61
10:40 UT (IMO 11)+6.38 (IMO 9)+6.52
Center FOV - Midperiod (UT)
Period 1 186x +13x
Period 2 203x +14x
Period 3 217x +18x
Showers Observed
VIR(1) 163x +14x
SPO(41)
Mag Distribution
Period 1
SPO(17) -7(1) 0(1) +1(1) +2(3) +3(2) +4(6) +5(3)
Period 2
VIR(1) +3(1)
SPO(9) 0(1) +2(2) +3(1) +4(2) +5(3)
Period 3
SPO(15) +1(1)+2(4) +3(4) +4(1) +5(5)
Meteor Data
Period 1
(Time UT, Shower, Mag, Speed, Accuracy/plot #)
01 07:51 SPO +2 2 2 DA
02 07:55 SPO +3 3 2 DB
03 07:58 SPO -7 2 3 DC See remarks
04 08:04 SPO +4 4 4 DD
05 08:08 SPO +2 1 2 DE
06 08:13 SPO +5 3 1 DF
07 08:15 SPO +4 3 N/A
08 08:16 SPO +5 3 3 DG
09 08:25 SPO +4 3 3 DH
10 08:29 SPO 0 3 1 DI XBO Long Path
11 08:38 SPO +1 3 N/A
12 08:43 SPO +4 3 2 DJ
13 08:47 SPO +3 4 2 DK XBO(?)
14 08:47 SPO +2 3
15 08:49 SPO +4 2 4 DL
16 08:54 SPO +4 3 1 DM XBO
17 08:55 SPO +5 3 N/A
Period 02
(Time UT, Shower, Mag, Speed, Accuracy/plot #)
18 09:09 SPO +4 4 N/A
19 09:13 SPO +2 2 2 DN
20 09:19 SPO +5 2 1 DO
21 09:30 SPO +3 3 2 DP XBO
22 09:34 SPO +4 3 2 DQ XBO
23 09:43 VIR +3 2 2 N/A
24 09:50 SPO 0 3 2 DR XBO
25 09:50 SPO +2 2 N/A
26 10:04 SPO +5 2 1 DS
27 10:06 SPO +5 2 3 DS
Period 03
(Time UT, Shower, Mag, Speed, Accuracy/plot #)
28 10:11 SPO +5 3 N/A
29 10:24 SPO +2 2 N/A Very brief
30 10:24 SPO +4 4 2 DT Train
31 10:30 SPO +5 2 3 DU
32 10:40 SPO +1 2 N/A
33 10:40 SPO +3 4 2 DV Train
34 10:47 SPO +2 2 N/A
35 10:47 SPO +3 3 2 DW XBO Train
36 10:50 SPO +2 4 N/A Train
37 10:52 SPO +5 4 2 DX
38 10:57 SPO +3 4 1 DZ XBO
39 10:57 SPO +2 3 2 DY XBO
40 10:57 SPO +3 2 N/A
41 11:05 SPO +5 3 DDA XBO
42 11:07 SPO +5 4 N/A
Remarks: I accidentally labeled meteors 26 and 27 both "DS."
Meteor 3 was a -7 fireball, bluish green. It quickly ramped
up to a brightness of -5/-6 then had a terminal burst that made it
to at least -7. The wake was visible in the fireball's glow.
It had a path length of about 25 degrees, ans was somewhat slow,
maybe 10 degrees per second.
Xi Bootids: I have a "very good/excellent" confidence level
on all meteors plotted as XBO's, with the exception of meteors
DZ (speed of 4 near radiant) and DDA, the path length of which
MAY be a bit long, though I am not so confidant in my ability
to plot beginning and end points. DDA had the correct speed.
Accuracy scale(1-5) 1/best 2/good 3/fair 4/poor 5/worst
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