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(meteorobs) QUADRANTIDS 2003 from Central Virginia!

Hopefully everyone is off to a decent start in 2003?  I was finally able
to get a "looksie" at the Quadrantids on the night of 3/4 January 2003. 
As it turns out, that night has been our only totally clear night thus
far in 2003.  It is hard to believe that in 27 years of recording
meteors, that I have never seen more than just a few QUADs.  Then again,
my observing in the early years (between 1976 - 1980) was mostly done
with Norman W. McLeod III in South Florida, which is way too far south to
get the elevated rates for the Quadrantids.  Even where I am at in
Central Virginia (south of Latitude 40 degrees North), the rates for the
Quadrantids will likely never get above 50/hour.  Yet I ventured out
anyway, even if tired from two days of virtually going nonstop. 
Regardless, it was nice to see the 32 Quadrantids that I did see,
including a -2 @ 0607 UT & a -3 @ 0701 UT.  Observations are as follows:

Observer:        Felix A. Martinez

Location:        Backyard in Amherst County, Virginia

Time:              0530 - 0830 UT

0530 - 0630           7 Quads                3 Sporadics                 
      LM 6.2; .Teff .80
0630 - 0730          10 Quads               6 Spor        1 Del Can      
 LM 6.2;  Teff .75
0730 - 0830          12 Quads               4 Spor        1 Com Ber      
LM 6.2; Teff .70
After 0830 (about ten more minutes during gear pickup)        3 Q/1 CB/ 1
Spor

Comments:  Meteor Activity and conditions warranted that I continue
observing.  However, my lack of sleep in the previous 48 hours finally
got the better of me and I had to succumb to climbing into our warm bed
inside our Home.  This is in spite of being fairly warm (despite the
below freezing  air temperature - minus two degrees Celsius) in the bed
of my Wife's pickup truck, under an electric blanket.  At least I have
now seen more Quadrantids than ever before!

                                In Astronomical Affinity - Felix
A.Martinez

On Sun, 05 Jan 2003 21:06:33 -0500 Mark Davis <meteors@comcastdot net>
writes:
> Observations received by the North American Meteor Network for the 
> month of
> December 2002 are now on our website at http://www.namnmeteors.org/
> 
> Our thanks to all of the observers!!
> 
> Clear skies!
> 
> Mark Davis, South Carolina, USA
> meteors@comcastdot net
> namn@atmob.org
> 
> 
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