Astronomy, Photography and Weather

General Category => Astronomy & Space => Topic started by: Paul on July 30, 2009, 07:21:58 am


Title: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: Paul on July 30, 2009, 07:21:58 am
Well first the one I missed! At 0320 this morning I awoke to a crystal clear sky though the dawn was becoming apparent, so I decided to get up for a while and get the camera out. While I was photographing Venus and Mars (see other thread) a mag -2 Perseid streaked away from the Double Cluster area in the direction of Ursa Major.

I then took some widefields based around Pegasus as this seemed to be the right sort of distance from the radiant and was in the direction of the darkest sky.

One of my frames had not one but two Perseids in it, both traceable back to the radiant.

The bright star below left of centre is Hamal.

(http://paulni.co.uk/images/2perseids090730.jpg)

Looking forward to a great display!

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: jgs001 on July 30, 2009, 08:41:10 am
Well caught Paul

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: brianb on July 30, 2009, 09:40:35 am
Ha, I was still observing at 0320 BST! And the sky was definitely deteriorating with increasing high & mid level cloud as well as dawn twilight setting in.

Quite a few meteors last night, none spectacularly bright, some appeared to be Capricornids as well as a fair proportion of early Perseids - the Perseids certainly seem to be active this year!

Still very well done to get two in the same frame.

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: markt on July 30, 2009, 03:29:59 pm
Great shot Paul!  It's always good when it's Perseid time again.  I saw 3 over about an hour or so last friday night when I was camping in the crystal clear, light pollution free skies of the Brecon Beacons.  I'm off in a week on my light pollution free holiday to wales specifically to observe the Perseids.  Now, all I need is some clear skies, hmmm....

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: Big Dipper on July 30, 2009, 10:46:55 pm
Well caught paul - and hopefully a good omen for this year's peak - though of course the Moon could have been better placed!

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: Roman White on July 30, 2009, 11:22:49 pm
Nice capture Paul!  :)

I observed meteors on July 28/29, 22:05-00:15 UT. ZNELM=5.8 (almost great sky conditions)
Activity was quite good  :) - total 26 meteors, though only 3 of them were Perseids

A chart with meteors' trails...
(http://i32.tinypic.com/2m2gzso_th.png) (http://i32.tinypic.com/2m2gzso.png)

A copy of my report to IMO:
Quote
// Shower section
shower   PER 046 +58
shower   PAU 341 -30
shower   SDA 339 -16
shower   NDA 335 -05
shower   CAP 307 -10
shower   ACG 315 +48
shower   BCA 353 +59
shower   GDR 279 +49
shower   SPO

// Number section
//    Interval     RA     Dec    Teff    F       Lm        PER       PAU       SDA       NDA       CAP       ACG       BCA       GDR       SPO
period   2205-2225    313    +41    0.330    1.04    5.80    P   0     P   1     P   1     P   0     P   0     P   2     P   0     P   0     P   1
period   2225-2255    319    +39    0.500    1.36    5.75    P   2     P   0     P   0     P   1     P   1     P   1     P   0     P   1     P   0
period   2255-2335    322    +38    0.670    1.04    5.65    P   0     P   0     P   1     P   1     P   1     P   1     P   0     P   0     P   2
period   2335-0015    328    +35    0.670    1.06    5.60    P   1     P   0     P   1     P   0     P   1     P   2     P   1     P   0     P   1

// Magnitude section
//             Show   Interval     -6    -5    -4    -3    -2    -1    +0    +1    +2    +3    +4    +5    +6    +7    Tot
distribution   PER    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.5   2.5   0.0   0.0    3.0
distribution   PAU    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   0.0   0.0   0.0    1.0
distribution   SDA    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   0.0   0.0   0.5   0.5   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   0.0   0.0    3.0
distribution   NDA    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.5   0.5   0.0   0.0    2.0
distribution   CAP    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   1.5   0.5   0.0   0.0    3.0
distribution   ACG    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.5   0.5   1.0   1.0   0.0   2.0   0.0   0.0    6.0
distribution   BCA    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.5   0.5   0.0   0.0    1.0
distribution   GDR    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   0.0   0.0   0.0    1.0
distribution   SPO    2205-0015   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   2.0   1.0   0.0   0.0   0.0   1.0   0.0   0.0    4.0

  • I was much surprised with activity of α-Cygnids (maximum on 15.07, ?)... :o
  • Perseids are currently faint, slow and not any intensive.
  • 01:11:25 - unusually long (>95°) and long duration (5.0...6.0s) meteor with faint trail. +4m (!). (PAU)
  • 02:00:46 - very beautiful one - very bright (-3m), whitish-blue, with two consequtive flares. Length ~40°, duration 1,4...1,5s. (SDA)
  • Does anybody knows something about β-Cassiopeids and γ-Draconids? I know almost nothing about their activity, but my software tells they're active (maximum on 29.07 and 27.07 respectively). Those 2 meteors might be sporadics if these showers aren't active.  ???

P.S. I also look forward with A BIG HOPE to the maximum of Perseids this year. ::)

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: rjgjr on July 31, 2009, 05:34:20 am
Great shot Paul! Hopefully we'll have some clear skies here in the States also.

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: Carl O Beirnes on July 31, 2009, 01:47:35 pm
Very nice Paul.

Let's hope for clear skies, But the Moon will have it's say also :>(

Carl.

Title: Re: Perseid Meteor Shower
Post by: martinastro on July 31, 2009, 04:12:47 pm
That's a great catch Paul, very rare to get two Perseids in such close proximity in the one exposure..brilliant.  :)

There has been so much meteor activity lately, every time I look up I'm seeing Perseids and Capricornids, and with sucn strong activity at this stage it could only mean we are in for a good show during the peak. Looking forward to it!


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