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(meteorobs) Observations March 28/29-00

     Clear weather allowed me to get out for three hours of observing last night.   The sky
was clear for the most part, but occasionally very transparent, almost imperceptible contrail-like clouds would drift across my field of view.  These were not obstructions, but they did lower my LM's briefly, thus the rise and fall in my LM counts.  Overall LM's were very good, however.
     The first two periods saw little activity -- just 4 meteors per hour --but the last period saw this rate double.  The Virginids were consistent at 1 per hour, but I suspect that the last meteor of the night, #16, was also a VIR, it simply appeared too far from my FOV for accurate alignment, so I left it as a SPO.  This same meteor, at -1, was the best of the night.
     At 03:30 UT, I saw an odd nebulous light in the sickle of Leo that lasted about 1 sec.  It did not have the clarity or brevity of a satellite flash, and did not repeat.  Was it a point meteor?  I like to think so, but I discounted it.
 

****************************************************************************************
OBSERVER:  Kim S. Youmans (YOUKI)  DATE:03-28/29-00
BEGIN: 02:54UT  END 06:00UT  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  02:54 - 03:56 UT  SPO(3) VIR(1)
Dead time =2 min  Teff = 1.00  F= 1.00
SolarLong. 008.750x Avg LM = 6.42

Period 1  03:56 - 04:58 UT  SPO(3) VIR(1)
Dead time =2 min  Teff = 1.00  F= 1.00
SolarLong. 008.792x Avg LM = 6.46

Period 3  04:58 - 06:00 UT  SPO(7) VIR(1)
Dead time =3 min  Teff = 0.98  F= 1.00
SolarLong. 008.835x Avg LM = 6.23
 

Limiting Magnitudes
03:15 UT  (IMO 9)+6.43  (IMO 3)+6.41
03:45 UT  (IMO 9)+6.43  (IMO 3)+6.41
04:15 UT  (IMO 9)+6.40  (IMO 3)+6.35
04:48 UT  (IMO 9)+6.61  (IMO 3)+6.49
05:15 UT  (IMO 9)+6.40  (IMO 11)+6.04
05:45 UT  (IMO 9)+6.40  (IMO 11)+6.06
 

Center FOV - Midperiod (UT)
Period 1 10hrs 50min +13
Period 2 11hrs 45min +15
Period 3 13hrs       +17

Showers Observed
VIR(3)   196x   -3x
SPO(13)

Mag Distribution
Period 1
SPO(3)         0(1)                  +4(1) +5(1)
VIR(1)                         +3(1)

Period 2
SPO(3)                         +3(1) +4(1)+5(1)
VIR(1)              +1(1)

Period 3
SPO(7)   -1(1)     +1(1) +2(3) +3(1)      +5(1)
VIR(1)                               +4(1)

Meteor Data

Period 1
(Time UT, Shower, Mag, Speed, DCV  Meteor ID
01  03:03   vir   +3      2    8x     aa
02  03:12   SPO   +4      3   15x     ab
03  03:22   SPO    0      3   10x     ac    2 sec train
04  03:30   SPO   +5      2   20x     ad

Period 2
(Time UT, Shower, Mag, Speed,   DCV    Meteor ID
05  03:58   VIR   +1      3     20x      ae
06  04:14   SPO   +5      2     15x      af
07  04:26   SPO   +3      2     40x      n/a
08  04:45   SPO   +4      3     05x      ag

Period 3
(Time UT, Shower, Mag, Speed,   DCV    Meteor ID
09  05:06   SPO   +2      2     30x      n/a
10  05:12   SPO   +2      3     20x      ah
11  05:12   SPO   +5      2     20x      n/a
12  05:25   SPO   +3      2     40x      ai
13  05:34   SPO   +1      3     03x      aj
14  05:37   SPO   +2      3     45x      n/a
15  05:39   VIR   +4      2     05x      ak
16  05:43   SPO   -1      3     40x      al   1 sec train

Remarks:  Possible pointer (+2) at 3:30UT in sickle of Leo.  Not recorded.