Greetings again all,

The lost sleep must be catching up to me!  I slept right through my normal wake up time of 2:00 a.m. this morning – “sleeping in” all the way until 4:00 a.m.!  I think I threw on some clothes and high tailed it down to Matanzas Inlet, as once again skies were gorgeous!

I set up shop at 04:25 local time and it was apparent right away that the PERs had picked up a whole bunch from the previous morning!

Here’s my results:

Observed for radiants:

  • CAP – alpha Capricornids
  • ERI – eta Eridanids
  • ANT – Anthelions
  • PER – Perseids
  • SDA: South delta Aquariids
  • PAU – Piscids Austrinids
  • NDA: North delta Aquariids
  • KCG: kappa Cygnids
  • BPE – beta Perseids

August 4/5 2016, observer: Paul Jones, Location: Location: North Bank of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, Lat: 29.75N, Log: 81.24W (approximately 18 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida). LM: 6.8, Facing: west

0425 – 0525 EDT (0825 – 0925 UT), Teff: 1.0 hour, No breaks,

  • 33 PER: 0, +1(3), +2(7), +3(11), +4(8), +5(3)
  • 3 SDA: +3(3)
  • 1 NDA: +2
  • 1 CAP: +3
  • 2 ERI: +2, +3
  • 10 SPO: +2, +3. +4(4), +5(2)
  • 50 total meteors

13 of the 50 meteors (11 PERs,1 ERI and 1 SPO) left trains. Yellow and blue tints were seen in the brighter PERs and the SDAs.

I must have started right in the middle of a nice PER burst, because I had five of them within the first three minutes – including a pair of perfectly simultaneous +3 PERs about 5 degrees apart! From there, the activity continued at a fast, even pace for the whole hour.

My fellow ACACer Brenda Branchett was also out down in Deltona, Florida and confirmed my impressions of the high PER activity, her report will follow separately. She even had a -4 PER fireball just a bit before I got out.  That’s what I get for over-sleeping…;o).

Looking forward, our observing chances have been threatened considerably by a low pressure system forming in the Gulf of Mexico. It will be touch and go in the weather department here in North Florida for at least the next few days.  All fingers and toes will be crossed for some clear skies!

More later, Paul J in North Florida