I managed to get out on a few clear nights during September’s dark window.  My main goal was to check out the September Epsilon Perseids, as this shower has produced some brief outbursts with bright meteors in recent years.  Although no special activity was predicted to occur this year, there is always the possibility for surprises.  Otherwise, any night under a clear dark sky is always time well spent even when meteors are less active.

On the morning of Sept 7, I went to Bootland Farm and the sky conditions were excellent.  It was very damp on the ground and possibly it had rained there earlier in the evening.  While setting up, I saw a nice Sept. Epsilon Perseids (SPE) of mag +1 in the west that left a train.  Temperature started at +11C but was only +4C at the end.  It felt cold after warm summer-like weather just a few days prior.  I heard several coyotes through the session which made it quite interesting.

It two hours (2-4am EDT), I saw 34 meteors (9 September Epsilon Perseids, 5 antihelions, 3 nu Eridanids, 1 eta Eridanid and 16 sporadics).  A very entertaining session!  The SPEs were more active than I expected, a few nights away from their predicted peak.  The first hour was especially rich in sporadics, but the second hour was slower, and had a 16 minutes lull without any meteors seen.  The best meteor was a highly foreshortened ERI at 3:42am EDT that flared brightly at mag 0 with a blue/green colour, left a 2 secs train but only travelled 3-4 degrees.

September 6/7 2018, 06:10-08:10 UT (02:10-04:10 EDT)
Location: Bootland Farm (Stewartville), Ontario, Canada
(Long: -76 deg 29′; Lat: 45 deg 23′)

Observed showers:
chi Cygnids (CCY) – 19:48 (297) +30
Antihelion (ANT) – 23:56 (359) -00
September Epsilon Perseids (SPE) – 03:06 (047) +39
nu Eridanids (NUE) – 04:12 (063) +04
eta Eridanids (ERI) – 04:36 (069) -04

06:10-07:10 UT (02:10-03:10 EDT); 3/5 trans; F 1.00; LM 6.55; facing S60 deg; teff 1.00 hr
SPE: five: +1(2); +2; +3; +4
ANT: four: +2; +3; +4(2)
NUE: two: +4(2)
Sporadics: eleven: +1; +2(3); +3; +4(3); +5(2); +6
Total meteors: Twenty-two

07:10-08:10 UT (03:10-04:10 EDT); 4/5 trans; F 1.00; LM 6.60; facing S60 deg; teff 1.00 hr
SPE: four: 0; +2(2); +3
ANT: one: +3
NUE: one: +3
ERI: one: 0
Sporadics: five: 0; +1; +3; +4; +5
Total meteors: Twelve

Clear skies,

Pierre Martin
Ottawa, Ontario