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Re: (meteorobs) An evening with the Quadrantids
Lew Gramer wrote:
> Bruce, just a short note of thanks, for your inspiring
> description of your Quadrantids observing session.
Why thank you. I must say I *felt* inspired by the beautiful show.
> I'm living in what you'd conside the "balmy south" (42N!).
> So it is a real motivator to hear from someone further
> North, who still manages to take advantage of all the
> opportunities weather offers, to collect good data.
Well I have a friend who lives in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, where the Sun
set on something like November 28. I daresay there are some disadvantages,
but among other things, he observes for the Novaya Zemliya effect (anomalous
"sunrises" due to atmospheric subducting). And he gets the Quadrantids
maximum every year, at the considerable risk of bitter weather. So you can
observe from anywhere.
Up here at 13 degrees below the Arctic Circle, we curse the perpetual
twilight that persists from mid-May to August 1 every year; typically the
Perseids is the first event in a new "observing year", and even that is lost
in twilight at 5 a.m. MDT. And some of the meteor showers are too far south,
such as the eta Aquarids (of which I saw zero this year, and was probably
lucky to see that many!) But the flip side is that every once in a while
the geometry of things allows us to get a shot at things that are elusive
for others, such as aurora or noctilucent clouds or circumpolar comets such
as Hyakutake, Hale-Bopp and Ikeya-Zhang. Or favourable radiants for the
Perseids, Geminids, and Quadrantids. You have to take what you can get.
> And for that, clearly enjoys himself in the process! :)
Of that there can be no doubt. Astronomy is a wonderful pursuit.
regards, Bruce
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