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[Al Degutis]

In this thread, I'll post my observations for the Perseid Meteor Shower for 2005.

Quick Summary:
* 6 mornings of observations
* 7 hours of observing time
* 76 meteors observed as follows: 28 Perseids, 48 sporadic

Observing method:
Naked eye observations, using a digital voice recorder to capture observatin details and a Casio PathFinder digital watch to record the meteor times.

To help me track long term meteor observations, I've created the Sky Insight Meteor Observation Tracking Tool www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs (still in beta). All of the following reports are generated using the tracking tool and copied/pasted here. To see the "formatted" version, a link will be provided with each report.

Clear meteor-filled skies!
Al Degutis

[Al Degutis]

Source: www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=1

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-07-30 Begin: 06:45 UT End: 07:45 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 5 @ 06:45
Direction Facing & Altitude: NE 75° @ 06:45
Percent Clouds:

Sky Conditions:
Seeing average 3/5 @ 06:45
Transparency average 5/10 @ 06:45

Breaks Time Minutes
none

Comments:

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 06:49:00 1 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
2 06:58:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
3 07:48:00 1 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
4 07:08:00 2 SPO Medium 1 sec
5 07:09:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
6 07:14:00 1 SPO Medium 1 sec
7 07:17:00 3 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
8 07:27:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
9 07:35:00 0 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
10 07:35:00 1 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
11 07:44:00 1 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
12 07:47:00 0 SPO Slow 1 sec

Summary

Magnitude Distribution
SPO (0) 2, (+1) 5, (+2) 4, (+3) 1 Total SPO = 12

Teff = 1 hour
Period Field Teff lm SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
06:45-07:45 1 hour 5 12


Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 12

[Al Degutis]

Source: www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=2

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-01 Begin: 08:10 UT End: 09:10 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 4.5 @ 08:10
Direction Facing & Altitude: E 60° @ 08:15 E 75° @ 08:45
Percent Clouds:

Sky Conditions:
Seeing average 3/5 @ 08:15
Transparency poor 2/10 @ 00:00

Breaks Time Minutes
none

Comments: Rising 26 day Moon started diminishing view so I observed at an altitude 15° higher halfway through

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 08:13:00 1 PER Medium 1 sec
2 08:15:00 1 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
3 08:17:00 1 SPO Medium 1 sec
4 08:21:00 0 PER Fast 1 sec
5 08:37:00 1 SPO Slow 1 sec
6 08:38:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
7 08:38:00 1 PER Medium 1 sec
8 08:48:00 1 PER Fast 1 sec
9 08:58:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
Summary
Magnitude Distribution
PER (0) 1, (+1) 3 Total PER = 4
SPO (+1) 3, (+2) 2 Total SPO = 5

Teff = 1 hour
Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
08:10-09:10 1 hour 4.5 4 5

Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 9

[Al Degutis]

Source = www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=4

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-02 Begin: 08:15 UT End: 09:15 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 4.5 @ 08:15
Direction Facing & Altitude: E 80° @ 08:15
Percent Clouds:

Sky Conditions:
Seeing average 3/5 @ 00:00
Transparency poor 2/10 @ 00:00

Breaks Time Minutes
none

Comments:

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 08:32:00 2 SPO Slow 1 sec
2 08:41:00 2 SPO Slow 1/2 sec
3 08:42:00 2 SPO Slow 1/2 sec
4 08:44:00 1 SPO Fast 1 sec
5 08:48:00 0 PER Medium 1 sec
6 08:58:00 1 PER Fast 1 sec
7 09:08:00 1 PER Fast 1 sec
Summary
Magnitude Distribution
PER (0) 1, (+1) 2 Total PER = 3
SPO (+1) 1, (+2) 3 Total SPO = 4

Teff = 1 hour
Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
08:15-09:15 1 hour 4.5 3 4

Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 7

[Al Degutis]

Source = www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=6

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-03 Begin: 08:00 UT End: 09:05 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 4.5 @ 08:00
Direction Facing & Altitude: NE 75° @ 08:00
Percent Clouds: 10% @08:50

Sky Conditions:
Seeing average 3/5 @ 08:00
Transparency poor 2/10 @ 08:00

Breaks Time Minutes
#1 08:44 5

Comments:

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 08:54:00 1 PER Medium 1 sec
2 08:35:00 2 PER Fast 1/2 sec
3 08:31:00 2 SPO Slow 1/2 sec
4 08:27:00 1 PER Medium 1/2 sec
5 08:19:00 1 PER Medium 1/2 sec
6 08:05:00 0 PER Fast 1 sec
7 08:03:00 3 SPO Slow
Summary
Magnitude Distribution
PER (0) 1, (+1) 3, (+2) 1 Total PER = 5
SPO (+2) 1, (+3) 1 Total SPO = 2

Teff = 1 hour
Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
08:00-09:05 1 hour 4.5 5 2

Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 7

[Al Degutis]

Source = www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=27

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-06 Begin: 06:30 UT End: 08:45 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 5.6 @ 06:30
Direction Facing & Altitude: NE 55° @ 06:30
Percent Clouds:

Sky Conditions:
Seeing above average (4/5) @ 06:30
Transparency average (6/10) @ 06:30

Breaks Time Minutes
#1 07:35 10
#2 08:20 5

Comments:

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 07:30:00 2 PER Medium 1/2 sec
2 07:26:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
3 07:25:00 3 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
4 07:24:00 1 SPO Medium 2 sec
5 07:23:00 1 SPO Slow 1 sec
6 07:10:00 1 PER Slow 1 sec
7 07:05:00 3 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
8 07:04:00 2 PER Fast 1/2 sec
9 06:57:00 3 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
10 06:56:00 2 SPO Fast 1 sec
11 06:42:00 1 SPO Slow 1/2 sec
12 06:31:00 2 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
13 07:43:00 2 SPO Medium 2 sec
14 07:47:00 2 SPO Medium 1 sec
15 07:51:00 0 SPO Medium 2 sec
16 07:51:00 1 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
17 07:53:00 2 PER Medium 1 sec
18 07:59:00 2 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
19 08:01:00 3 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
20 08:03:00 2 SPO Medium 1 sec
21 08:12:00 1 PER Medium 2 sec Flared up twice
22 08:15:00 2 SPO Medium 1 sec
23 08:36:00 3 SPO Medium 1 sec
24 08:39:00 3 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
25 08:40:00 1 PER Fast 1 sec
26 08:43:00 3 SPO Fast 1 sec
Summary
Magnitude Distribution
PER (+1) 3, (+2) 3 Total PER = 6
SPO (0) 1, (+1) 4, (+2) 8, (+3) 7 Total SPO = 20

Teff = 1.92 hours
Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
06:30-08:45 1.92 hours 5.6 6 20

Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 26

[Al Degutis]

Source = www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=28

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-07 Begin: 07:15 UT End: 08:20 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 5.6 @ 07:15
Direction Facing & Altitude: NE 65° @ 07:15
Percent Clouds:

Sky Conditions:
Seeing above average (4/5) @ 07:15
Transparency average (6/10) @ 07:15

Breaks Time Minutes
none

Comments:

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 07:15:00 1 SPO Medium 1 sec
2 07:19:00 0 PER Slow 2 sec
3 07:21:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
4 07:23:00 0 PER Medium 2 sec
5 07:29:00 3 PER Medium 1 sec
6 07:36:00 2 PER Medium 1/2 sec
7 07:41:00 1 PER Fast 1/2 sec
8 07:49:00 2 PER Fast 1 sec
9 07:51:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
10 07:54:00 3 PER Medium 1 sec
11 07:55:00 1 PER Medium 1 sec
12 07:56:00 3 PER Medium 1/2 sec
13 08:01:00 1 PER Fast 1 sec
14 08:03:00 2 SPO Medium 1 sec
15 08:18:00 3 SPO Fast 1 sec
Summary
Magnitude Distribution
PER (0) 2, (+1) 3, (+2) 2, (+3) 3 Total PER = 10
SPO (+1) 1, (+2) 3, (+3) 1 Total SPO = 5

Teff = 1.08 hours
Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
07:15-08:20 1.08 hours 5.6 10 5

Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 15

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Wow...

Just look at the detail of the observations!

Excellent...just excellent.

[Al Degutis]

Source www.skyinsight.net/meteorobs/sessiondetails.php?sid=29

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-08 Begin: 07:55 UT End: 09:00 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22'
Longitude: -88° 29'
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 5.6 @ 07:55
Direction Facing & Altitude: NE 60° @ 07:55
Percent Clouds: 0% @ 07:55

Sky Conditions:
Seeing average 3/5 @ 07:55
Transparency average 5/10 @ 07:55

Breaks Time Minutes
none


Comments:

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 07:58:00 3 PER Medium 1/2 sec
2 08:11:00 2 PER Fast 1 sec
3 08:15:00 3 PER Fast 1 sec
4 08:15:00 2 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
5 08:16:00 1 PER Fast 1 sec
6 08:17:00 3 PER Medium 1/2 sec
7 08:17:00 2 PER Medium 1 sec
8 08:20:00 2 PER Fast 1 sec
9 08:23:00 2 PER Medium 1/2 sec
10 08:23:00 0 PER Medium 2 sec
11 08:38:00 2 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
12 08:38:00 2 PER Medium 1/2 sec
13 08:40:00 1 PER Medium 2 sec
14 08:41:00 3 SPO Fast 1/2 sec
15 08:50:00 2 SPO Medium 1/2 sec
16 08:52:00 2 PER Fast 1/2 sec
17 08:57:00 3 PER Fast 1/2 sec
Summary
Magnitude Distribution - magnitudes listed in ( ) followed by quantity
PER (0) 1, (+1) 2, (+2) 6, (+3) 4
SPO (+2) 3, (+3) 1

Teff = 1.08 hours
Date Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
2005-08-08 07:55-09:00 1.08 hours 5.6 13 4


Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 17

[Al Degutis]

admin said:

Wow...

Just look at the detail of the observations!

It helps having the right tools. I use a voice recorder for descriptions and a Casio Pathfinder to record the time of the sightings using it's Time Memo function. Hold the Time Memo button for a couple of seconds and it records the date, time and a sequential number (e.g. #1, #2, #3, etc). Makes it real easy to track when I saw them and how many since each day the sequential number starts back at 1 again. The downside is that it's limited to about 30 or 40 memo's so I lost some data from Saturday morning's observation session. But I had a backup, my Creative Labs MP3 player that I use for my verbal descriptions using it's voice recorder. Each voice recording has a date and time stamp so I was able to account for all 26 of Saturday morning's meteors even though I only had half listed on the watch. This way I can keep my eyes to the skies and not miss a beat.

My reports are based on the American Meteor Societies "Basic" observing form. You wanna see detail, you should see the Advanced form. The advanced form includes additional info such as

• DURATION - the duration of a meteor in tenths of a second.
  
• LENGTH - the estimated length, in degrees, of a meteor's path across the sky.
  
• DCV - the distance, from your center of vision, that the meteor first appeared. It is normally reported in multiples of 10 degrees.
  
• PLOT - check this column if the meteor is plotted. As an alternative, list the chart number the plotted meteor appears on.
  

Someday I'll be able to handle the advanced form... hmmm... tenths of a second that should be fun to calculate...

[Al Degutis]

Observer: Al Degutis
Date: 2005-08-09 Begin: 08:30 UT End: 09:30 UT
Location: Stargate Observing Deck - Woodstock, IL
Latitude: 42° 22' 0"
Longitude: -88° 29' 0"
Elevation: 282 meters
Limiting Magnitude: 5.6 @ 08:30
Direction Facing & Altitude: E 75° @ 08:30
Percent Clouds: 0% @ 08:30

Sky Conditions:
Seeing average 3/5 @ 08:30
Transparency average 5/10 @ 08:30

Breaks Time Minutes
none


Comments: haze clouds on the eastern horizon forced me to observe at a higher altitude

Meteor Data
No. Time Mag Type Color Speed Train Comments
1 08:35:00 3 PER White Medium
2 08:38:00 2 SPO White Fast 1 sec
3 08:38:00 1 PER White Fast
4 08:45:00 3 PER White Medium 1 sec
5 08:46:00 1 SPO White Fast 1 sec
6 08:50:00 2 PER White Fast 1 sec
7 08:50:00 3 PER White Fast 1 sec
8 08:55:00 2 PER White Fast
9 08:57:00 3 SPO White Slow 1 sec shot over Pleiades
10 09:04:00 3 SPO White Fast
11 09:11:00 2 PER White Fast
12 09:21:00 1 SPO White Fast 1 sec
13 09:21:00 2 SPO White Fast
14 09:22:00 -1 PER White Medium 3 sec flared up twice and then exploded over Pleiades
15 09:25:00 2 SPO White Fast 1 sec
16 09:30:00 2 PER White Medium
Summary
Magnitude Distribution - magnitudes listed in ( ) followed by quantity
PER (-1) 1, (+1) 1, (+2) 4, (+3) 3
SPO (+1) 2, (+2) 3, (+3) 2

Teff = 1 hour
Date Period Field Teff lm PER SPO
(UT) RA DEC h m
2005-08-09 08:30-09:30 1 hour 5.6 9 7

Meteors Observed TOTAL COUNT = 16

[Al Degutis]

I've updated my summary page to give summary counts:
skyinsight.net/meteorobs/listsessions.php

Year-to-date numbers=
PERSEID = 50
SPORADIC = 59
Total = 109

The forecast is for "mostly clear" to "partly cloudy" for the rest of this week's nights/mornings getting worse as the peak approaches. I'll be outside during ANY sizeable (1 hour) break in the clouds.

[Al Degutis]

Photographing a meteor is worse than fishing. Almost every morning I've gone out to observe I've taken my digital SLR out with me. Over the weekend it was piggybacked on my LX200 telescope but all the other
times it's been tripod mounted. Of course, getting a meteor in the FOV takes a lot of luck, especially one bright enough to show up in the image. I've shot over 400 thirty second exposures and have two possible very faint meteors. I've been aiming the camera to the east so that I
can get Mars and Pleiades in the shots. Adding a Perseid or sporadic to that background would make an excellent photo. As morning twilight began, some clouds or haze in the eastern horizon diminished the depth of magnitude so I pointed the camera towards the zenith. About 5
minutes later the camera battery died. I had a second battery ever since I got burned photographing auroras and the battery died. With only 10 minutes left to my observing session, I didn't worry about changing the battery. Then I saw it. A bright mag -1 Perseid streaming
towards and above Pleiades. The train started faintly, brightened up quickly, dimmed for a 1/2 second and brightened again with an explosion at the end line a man-made firework almost directly over Pleiades. The train lasted 3 seconds. At first I was in awe. Then the disappointment set it. Had I kept that FOV in the camera and replaced that battery right away I could have had the picture of the week. Probably the picture of my lifetime.

Unfortunately, all I can say is "that was the one that got away".

My friend Dave pointed out that it's the persistent ones that discover the comet, supernova, etc. So I'll be outside hunting Perseids as long as the skies are clear, or partiallly clear. I can get some sleep the later half of August.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

Lol...Oh Al...

How many missed opportunities we all have lost because it was too inconvenient, too late, too little time or "what are the chances"?

I like that multi camera set-up to catch meteors with the external battery hook-up. That's the way to go!

[tim]

Al
Do to my work schedule I only got a few very short sessions to watch for meteors. As with you on the morning of the 9th I saw one that brought an audible WOW ! A mag -2 direct from the middle of Perseus with about a 15 degree long train of smoke that dissipated almost as quickly as it appeared.
One of my friends at work has been getting into astronomy a little this summer and told his daghter ( age 12 ) about the meteors. The next morning when he got up for work ( they were going to look for some before he left for work) she was wathching TV and told him she got up and checked but it was raining. This is a 12 year old getting out of bed in the early morning hours all on her own to see if it was clear.

[Al Degutis]

tim said:

One of my friends at work has been getting into astronomy a little this summer and told his daghter ( age 12 ) about the meteors. The next morning when he got up for work ( they were going to look for some before he left for work) she was wathching TV and told him she got up and checked but it was raining. This is a 12 year old getting out of bed in the early morning hours all on her own to see if it was clear.

That is cool! Lets get more youth interested and involved!

The night/morning of the 11/12 was filled with rain here too so I was not able to observe. The night of the 12th was forecasted to be complete overcast but I stuck my head outside at 11pm CDT just to see and found the skies about 50% open with cirrus clouds moving around. It looked like it may clear up so I stayed out. It cleared to about only 30% clouds and I thought I'd be able to get some official observing in but it wasn't to be. By 11:20 PM it has seen only 4 meteors (all Perseids) but the clouds were filling the sky again. For the next hour and a half, I watched through patches of open sky and saw a total of 16 meteors (10 Perseids, 1 Kappa Cygnid, 5 sporadic). A Many of the Perseids were bright (mag 0 or better) and a few had nice bright long tails. I gave up at 1am.