Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Aug 13, 2006 3:30:44 GMT -6
Six Perseids - No Waiting
I started my delayed Perseid observation Sunday morning at 2:00 am and stayed on my garage roof till 4:00 am when high clouds threatened to obscure my mostly eastern vista. (Really need to trim down some obscuring tree branches, really I should).
Had a radio on, sleeping blanket unfolded, girl at my side, and we watched for grains of space debris to burn up in the atmosphere. The Pleaides was easily spotted in the east and rising. Made a good binocular target and topic of conversation.
It wasn't a bad early morning meteor show. In the two hours I saw four good bright meteor trails from really all directions, and not necessarily from the radiant. Some minor dim ones were also observed, but those were in the corner of my eye. All were of the light yellow/white variety and short spanned trails. No fireballs or smoke trails this time. I have been witness to crackle and smoke trails in the past, but not this shower.
Did manage to see some satellites and the moon through haze while searching for meteors, even with blazing street and alley lights beaming right into my retinas.
All in all, this was not one of the better meteor showers I have seen, but am grateful to have seen any at all in the Heart of the city. Perhaps with the Leonids in November, we will have much better luck in catching a fireball or two.