[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