[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) Observations July 21/22 2001
I was beginning to feel quite left out
as I've read all the recent observations by Pierre, Jure, Javor, Bob, Lew
and others. The skies here have been unsettled all summer with few
clear nights but this past Sat/Sun was a great exception, with new moon,
weekend and a single night of clear skies all finally coming together.
I had intended 2 hrs of observations but due to circumstances beyond my
control I had to settle for a single hour of uninterrupted observations.
I did not plot, relying on my cord and the pre-located radiants.
No fireball-class meteors were seen
but there was an abundance of swift, trained apex meteors...with three
SPX's seen within a fifteen minute period, all having earthgrazer chracteristics
- long path length, long train, racing more or less overhead.
The real treat of the evening
came when I spotted the three classified military satellites arranged in
a slow-moving triangular formation. This was my first glimpse of
them and as they passed overhead they almost perfectly matched a triangular
group of three stars which they passed in front of. It was quite
a moving sight, the satellites creating an almost perfect triangular "conjunction"
with the stars.
******************************************************
OBSERVER: Kim S. Youmans (YOUKI) DATE: 07-21/22-01
BEGIN:07:40UT END 8:45UT LOCATION: Treutlen Co,
Ga.
82. 24' 25" W; 32. 24' 45" N
METHOD: Tape Elev 240 ft
Facing South 1 period, sky 0% obscured, no breaks
Period 1 7:40-8:45UT SPO(4) CAP(2) PER(2) NPX(2) SPX(4)
Dead time = 1 min Teff = 1.08
Avg LM = +6.39
Limiting Magnitudes
07:40 UT (IMO 6) +6.29 (IMO 18) +6.39
08:10 UT (IMO 6) +6.44 (IMO 18) +6.39
08:40 UT (IMO 6) +6.44 (IMO 18) +6.39
Center FOV (UT)
08:10 23hr 30min
-5
Mag Distribution (UT)
8:40-7:45
PER(2)
0(1) +3(1)
SPO(4) +1(1)
+2(1) +3(1) +5(1)
CAP(2)
+2(1)
+5(1)
SPX(4)
+2(1) +3(3) +5(1)
NPX(2)
+4(2)
My Apex count is *not* included in the SPO count.
Follow-Ups: