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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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