Greetings again all,
I am finally getting caught enough to report on the detailed observational results from last week’s ACAC 2017 Leonid Meteor Shower maximum observations from North Florida. A big thanks to fellow ACAC members Neal and Nancy Brown for joining me on the main nights. Here are my results:
Observed for radiants:
LEO: Leonids
STA: South Taurids
NTA: North Taurids
NOO: November Orionids
AND: Andromedids
SPO: sporadics
Date: Nov., 14/15, 2017. Observer: Paul Jones, Location: north bank of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 15 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida, Lat: 29.75 N, Long:81.24W, LM: 6.5, sky conditions: clear, Facing: SE.
0330 – 0430 EST (0830 – 0930 UT), Teff: 1 hour, clear, no breaks
5 LEO: -1(1), +1(1), +2(1), +4(1), +5(1)
1 NOO: +3(1)
2 NTA: +2(2)
8 SPO: +2(2), +3(2), +4(3), +5(1)
316 total meteors
2 of the 5 LEOs, 2 of the SPOs left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter LEOs.
Date: Nov., 15/16, 2017. Observer: Paul Jones, Location: north bank of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 15 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida, Lat: 29.75 N, Long:81.24W, LM: 6.5, sky conditions: clear, Facing: SE.
0500 – 0545 EST (1000 – 1045 UT), Teff: .75 hour, clear, no breaks
9 ORI: 0(1),+1(2), +2(2), +3(2), +4(1), +5(1)
1 NTA: +2(1)
9 SPO: +1(1), +2(1), +3(3), +4(2), +5(2)
19 total meteors
4 of the 9 LEOs, 1 NTAsand 3 SPOs left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter LEOs and SPOs.
Date: Nov., 16/17, 2017. Observer: Paul Jones, Location: north bank of Matanzas Inlet, Florida, 15 miles south of St. Augustine, Florida, Lat: 29.75 N, Long:81.24W, LM: 6.5, sky conditions: clear, Facing: SE.
0230 – 0330 EST (0730 – 0830 UT), Teff: 1 hour, 20% clear, no breaks
7 LEO: 0(1), +2(3), +3(1), +4(2)
1 STA: +3(1)
1 NTA: +2(1)
1 NOO: +3(1)
6 SPO: +2(1), +3(3), +4(3)
16 total meteors
4 of the 7 LEOs, left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter ORIs and SPOs.
0330 – 0430 EST (0830 – 0930 UT), Teff: 1 hour, clear, no breaks
12 LEO: -2(1), 0(1), +1(3), +2(3), +3(2), +4(2)
2 NTA: +2(1), +3(1)
9 SPO: +1(2), +2(3), +3(2), +4(2)
23 total meteors
5 of the 12 LEOs, left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter LEOs and SPOs.
0430 – 0530 EST (0930 – 1030 UT), Teff: 1 hour, clear, no breaks
14 LEO: -1(2), 0(1), +1(2), +2(2), +3(5), +5(2)
2 NTA: +2(2)
10 SPO: -1(1), +1(1) +2(1), +3(2), +4(3), +5(2)
26 total meteors
6 of the 14 LEOs, and 3 of the SPOs left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter LEOs and SPOs.
Date: Nov., 17/18, 2017. Observer: Paul Jones, Location: Deep Creek Conservation Area, 2 miles east of Hastings, Florida, Lat: 29.69 N, Long:81.44W, LM: 6.2, sky conditions: 15% clouds & fog interference, Facing: W.
0345 – 0445 EST (0845 – 0945 UT), Teff: 1 hour, no breaks
9 LEO: -3(1), 0(1), +2(5), +3(1), +4(1)
1 NTA: +3(1)
7 SPO: +2(1), +3(3), +4(3)
17 total meteors
4 of the 9 LEOs, left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter LEOs.
0445 – 0545 EST (0945 – 1045 UT), Teff: 1 hour, no breaks
13 LEO: -1(1), 0(1), +1(2), +2(3), +3(3), +4(2), +5(1)
1 NOO: +2(1)
8 SPO: 0(1), +2(2), +3(1), +4(2), +5(1)
22 total meteors
5 of the 13 LEOs and 1 SPO, left visible trains, most common colors were gold and yellow in the brighter LEOs.
Overall, the LEOs appeared to have a very normal year for them, with a mixture of nice, bright ones and short faint ones. The sky conditions were not optimal for the max this year, as although mostly clear, the fog and very high humidity each night cut into the transparency quite a bit, especially low in the sky in all directions.
After the horrendous year for weather we have had here in North Florida it was simply a blessing to see anything of the LEOs at all. 2017 Geminids next up!
Keep looking up, Paul
Nice set of data, Paul! Thanks for sharing!!