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(meteorobs) Re: weaker Perseids

Eric said:

>This was another disappointing time of observing.

Sounds like I didn't miss much from last night's cloudout.  In fact, I was
considering skipping it anyway, after the dull rates the night before.  Must
be getting jaded

>. I don't know what the story is what we are not seeing more from a once
great shower? 

I don't either.  The orbital mechanics people should be able to come up with
a reason eventually.  The years of a reliable and solid 40/hour Perseid peak
are long gone.  I have been suffering through lower half-strength rates for
over a decade.  Newcomers that still consider the Perseids to be good have
to have high perception also.  They would have had quite an annual show not
that many years back.

There is no contradiction with what Bob saw in California.  He is a known
quantity with very good perception for brighter Perseid-like meteors, fully
double what I see.

Mike Linnolt has more than double my perception.  From Hawaii, due for the
peak that I have been tracking, he should come up with some heady numbers
tonight.  Will be very interesting to hear how he does.

Weather outlook seems to have improved here.  There was a distinct clearing
line already past Andros Island in the Bahamas yesterday, and now it has
reached the SE Florida coast and Keys. The southern part of the tropical
wave has disappeared.   Just need to keep that thing moving long enough to
put me into the clear for tomorrow morning, Aug 11/12. (School starts
locally tomorrow -- a big race on between districts to see who can start the
earliest.  Am very glad I'm not a student today.)   Tropical systems often
just stop moving -- steering currents aloft can become weak around these
parts.  Got a big thunderstorm coming so will need to sign off and unplug
the computer.  No surge suppressor is going to stop a nearby lightning strike.

Meanwhile from Colorado, Harold Povenmire called me to find out if I am out
observing Persoods and Upsilon Pegasids.  When I first met him, and he
mentioned the Persoods (rhymes with  "food"), it took me a full minute to
figure out that he was talking about the Perseids.  He has his unique way of
saying it.

Norman






Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society

Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganet.com

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