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(meteorobs) Re: Geminids 2001 from central Texas USA
Wes Stone wrote:
> it looks like you are using "old" LM tables.
Thank you Wes for your message! This is kind of ironic. For
my Leonids report, I used the tables that you recommended:
http://www.imodot net/visual/lm.html
I used the same star-field graphics for both nights, when I
was in the field. But when I was working on my Geminids
report, it seems that I found the old tables on the NAMN site:
http://www.namnmeteors.org/appendixD.html
I didn't remember the difference in the appearance of the two
pages (the newer one in HTML tables and the older one in a
more plain format), and I wasn't aware of the difference in
their contents.
As to estimating meteor magnitudes, I think I need expert
help on location. Even when I'm watching a flashing geosynch
satellite next to a known star, I still usually feel uncertain
as to the satellite's magnitude. It seems to require a type
of quick thinking or quick deciding that does not come very
easily to me. I have Tirion's Bright Star Atlas 2000, but I
find telling a star's magnitude from the size of the dots to
be not very easy in the dark.
Part of this is due to the fact that before 1996 I had very
little experience in observing things in the night sky. I
just looked at them in awe. I'm still very much climbing
the night-sky learning curve. But I sure do like watching
meteor showers, and I definitely can count them.
Two footnotes on my Geminids report -- I was using WWV radio
for the time, and my method was counting on my fingers for
five minutes and then writing down the counts at the end of
that time. I think I like the method I used for the Leonids
better (writing on a tablet while keeping eyes on the sky),
but it requires ungloved hands.
FWIW, here's a corrected report based on the newer LM tables:
December 13-14, 2001 (December 14 UTC)
Dripping Springs, Texas, USA: 30.190N, 98.086W, 300 m.
Session: 06:35:00-10:00:00 UTC
All "bins" are five minutes.
1. Looking roughly RA 7, Dec +16 (right of Jupiter)
LM, using IMO field #17 (Auriga), 8 stars = +4.5 (to +5.1)
Begin . . . . End Teff LM GEM Other
06:35:00-06:40:00 .083 +4.5 8 0
06:42:00-06:47:00 .083 +4.5 5 1
06:50:00-06:55:00 .083 +4.5 7 0
2. Looking roughly RA 7, Dec +20 (below Jupiter)
LM, using IMO field #4 (Gemini), 7 stars = +5.3 (to +5.8)
Begin . . . . End Teff LM GEM Other
07:30:00-07:35:00 .083 +5.3 5 0
07:36:00-07:41:00 .083 +5.3 6 1
3. Looking at the Beehive (M44), RA 8:40, Dec +20
LM, using IMO field #4 (Gemini), 7 stars = +5.3 (to +5.8)
Begin . . . . End Teff LM GEM Other
08:06:00-08:11:00 .083 +5.3 6 3
08:12:00-08:17:00 .083 +5.3 11 2
08:19:00-08:24:00 .083 +5.3 7 0
08:30:00-08:35:00 .083 +5.3 9 1
08:39:00-08:44:00 .083 +5.3 6 0
08:50:00-08:55:00 .083 +5.3 11 1
4. Looking at Leo, RA 10:00, Dec +22
LM, using IMO field #9 (Leo), 9 stars = +5.4
Begin . . . . End Teff LM GEM Other
09:41:00-09:46:00 .083 +5.4 8 3
09:47:00-09:52:00 .083 +5.4 6 1
09:55:00-10:00:00 .083 +5.4 5 1
Ed Cannon - ecannon@mail.utexasdot edu - Austin, Texas, USA
http://wwwvms.utexasdot edu/~ecannon/meteorlinks.html
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