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(meteorobs) Re: past Quadrantids from Florida

In 2003 my experience was identical to Mark's :

>Hey Kim, you must have a lucky 4-leaf clover! I have only had one year 
>with clear skies since 1987! This year I was up at midnight with 90 
>percent clouds, so went to bed and woke up at 6 am to clear skies. Par 
>for the course..... :(

After a busy evening I wasn't optimistic with loads of stratocum coming off
the Gulf of Mexico after a cold front.  Yet it was completely clear in
twilight.  Something probably could have been seen if I had been ready, but
looking at satpics still showed clouds inland where I go to observe.

Last shower seen in clear skies was the 2001 Geminids.  Doesn't seem to
matter whether El Nino is around or not any more, I get few clear nights
around here, and mostly around full moons.  Quite a change from earlier
years when I seldom missed seeing a shower.  Next chance will be the Eta
Aquarids topped off with a favorable lunar eclipse in mid-May.



>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.  
>Observer:        Felix A. Martinez

We mustn't give up on more southerly locations.  Here is a brief repost of
my 1997 Jan Quadrantid report:

>At long last I have seen an excellent Quadrantid display : 1997 Jan 2/3.
This must be a once-in-a-generation event.  I began active observing free of
school in 1971, and 26 years later all factors came together for the Quads.
Time observed 6.38 hours with 150 Quads and 30 sporadics seen.  The
beneficial midnight clouds came through again and left in good time,
retarding the fog until dawn.  Only then did it get rather thick, and it
remained shallow in height.
>
>The best period was 456-620 EST (956-1120 UT), when the pace increased very
suddenly, with sky LM6.0 and 86 Quads seen (61/hour). 

There was a thick waning crescent moon that morning.  It was quite a thrill
seeing so many meteors at a different time of year than usual.  Part of a
message sent prior to this display is the following:


>I haven't had any recent luck with the Quads.  Have forgotten the last time
I saw them, will have to look it up.  1985 I remember well, a perfectly
timed return here but spoiled the last 2 hours by thickening cirrus from a
cold front.  I saw 32 bright Quads in the cirrus that last hour so a great
show was stolen.  That remains my all-time Quad record.  The only good thing
about that morning was temps at 70 F.
>
>Prior to 1985 I did fairly well but never did get the peak.  Several years
were decent with rates in mid-20's.  A well-timed max in 1973 was seen by
Mark Adams from Pennsylvania ; he saw 69 the last hour.  Mark is perception
1.15, plus he was well north of here.  These facts tell me I would have seen
over 50 myself.  That morning in central Florida I was completely fogged out
after midnight -- earlier was beautifully clear but I knew it wouldn't last.
I'm very glad Mark saw it --- someone with calibrated perception was needed
versus all the heavy correcting Hindley engaged in at the time.  [HIndley
was the  "British meteor expert "  as S&T called him in several articles.]


For the past 30 years the Quadrantid ZHR has been described as  "varying
between 60 and 200."   I have been skeptical about that the entire time,
instead attributing the extreme variability to spotty observing and
individual perceptions.  No other annual shower varies that much, so why
should the Quads?  Favorable returns from periodic showers, such as the
Leonids, are in a different category.

Just by coincidence, the best years for Quadrantids and Perseids come
together.  2005 is the next big year for America -- but with LQ moon for Quads.

Norman


Norman W. McLeod III
Staff Advisor
American Meteor Society

Fort Myers, Florida
nmcleod@peganet.com

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