[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
(meteorobs) Aug 13, 2002 Meteor Observation from Bald Mtn, Virginia, USA
I will post my 8/13/02 UT observation first because, for the USA, it was
supposed to have the highest Perseid rates. I observed from this Virginia
site because I was doing some historical research about Charles Pollard
Olivier, founder of the American Meteor Society, who lived in
Charlottesville, VA, forty miles away from Bald Mountain. The mountain is
one of the peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountains. My site was at an elevation
of 991 meters/ 3252 feet. The mid-Atlantic states were afflicted with hazy,
humid air on the 12th and 13th of August. Certainly this factor reduced the
observational yield, because 991 meters of elevation was not enough to get
above it. The other factor responsible for reducing meteor rates was one I
had not anticipated: light pollution! I had hoped for darker skies due to a
rural location. It wasn't to be. I was able to see the print pattern in my
shirt, and any light colored object was easily visible.
AUGUST 13, 2002
5:27-6:28 UT 1.02 5.23 1.00 11 PER 1 AQR 5 SPO RA=1H DEC=+50
6:35-7:36 UT 1.02 5.40 1.00 13 PER 1 AQR 6 SPO " "
7:44-9:00 UT 1.27 5.06 1.00 27 PER 2 CAP 5 SPO RA=0H DEC=+12
TOTALS: 3.29 5.22 1.00 51 PER 2 AQR 2 CAP 16 SPO 71 TOTAL
The first column is the period, given in Universal Time, when I observed.
The second column lists the hour, and fraction therof, when the sky was
actually watched. The third column states the averaged limiting magnitude
during the observational period. The fourth column is a statistic
signifying that there were no clouds obstructing the sky during the
sessions. The next three columns list the sources of the meteors seen
during the period: PER=Perseids, AQR=Aquarids, CAP=Alpha Capricornids,
SPO=Sporadics, having no known radiants.
LOCATION: Bald Mountain Overlook, VA at approximately 79 deg, 05' W and 37
degrees, 55' N. Elevation= 991 m/ 3252 feet.
MAGNITUDES:
PER: -3(1) -2(2) -1(2) 0(4) +1(4) +2(18) +3(15) +4(4) +5(1) AVG=1.90
AQR: +2(1) +3(1) AVG=2.50
CAP: +1(1) +2(1) AVG=1.50
SPO: 0(1) +1(0) +2(4) +3(7) +4(4)
AVG of sporadics was +2.81
Richard Taibi
Temple Hills, MD, USA
_________________________________________________________________
MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos:
http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
The archive and Web site for our list is at http://www.meteorobs.org
To stop getting all email from the 'meteorobs' lists, use our Webform:
http://www.meteorobs.org/subscribe.html