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(meteorobs) Re: last Leonid first Geminid
We have been in the habit of walking our dog just before dawn many nights
recently. My last Leonid came during one of the walks, Nov 22 about 5 AM, a
nice blue-green -3m with train 10 seconds. Joan missed it. Dec 6 around 5
AM we were at it again. I saw a beautiful blue-green -2m Geminid drop
leisurely behind the hospital located in the block to our east. In 2 full
seconds I saw it move only 10 degrees before the building blocked it, less
than 15 degrees high. The blue was an intense average-sky color with the
green subtle. Geminids look like the flaming balls coming out of Roman
candles, and this one was no exception. Joan missed this one also, but had
a reasonable look at a faster sporadic deep in the south that I barely saw.
There is a better chance of seeing a Geminid train during the earth-grazer
period than when the radiant is high. It is very entertaining to see a
Geminid appearing to roll out the carpet as it leaves a train but lasts
several seconds itself. Some of the fireballs leave brief trains ; fainter
Geminids with trains are scarce.
FInd out when Pollux and Castor rise for your location to determine when the
radiant rises,as the radiant is very near Castor. Watch for their rising
ENE before Geminid max night to get the time one night, then subtract 4
minutes per night up to the big night to know about when to expect
earth-grazers to begin appearing. Further north is earlier, as is further
east in one's own time zone.
Norman
Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society
Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganet.com
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