Geminids from N.E. Illinois

Started by ccanelos, 12/14/2010 06:31PM
Posted 12/14/2010 06:31PM | Edited 12/14/2010 09:16PM Opening Post
Hi Martin,

We did no formal record keeping, but I thought I'd share a few observations on our viewing adventures in suburban Chicagoland.

The Geminids are my favorite shower! I haven't observed them in a few years for one reason or another, so I thought I'd make an effort this time around. It was predicted to be clear after moonset so my husband Mike and I set the alarm and got up around 1:15. When I raised the shade to see if it had stayed clear, Mike spotted a nice bright one through the window. I think that's a 'go', I said.

But when you live in the Midwest you take your changes with the weather and ya gotta be a die-hard for winter observing. The thermometer read +7 degrees F., cold even for us in December. No problem, we just needed to prepare a bit. Let's see...

Insulated pad for the lawn chairs? Check.
Insulated coveralls? Check.
Down parkas? Check.
Sleeping bags? Check.
Hand and foot warmers? Ch...uh, we're out of those. Dang...okay then,
Wool hiking socks and boots? Check. And one last thing...
the click-o-meter? Check.

We went out back only to discover that the neighbor across the yard had ALL of his shades open and his interior lights blazing. There was nowhere to set up our chairs that didn't have either his lights or the streetlights in our faces, or a tree in the way. But we made the best of it and found one patch that wasn't the worst and got ourselves situated. Within moments we were rewarded with two nice meteors that shot textbook-like right out of Gemini. Off to the races!

With a chilly breeze blowing, the cold was a bit much even for a couple of die-hards, so we didn't quite make an hour. But between 1:40 and 2:30 we clicked off 28 meteors between the two of us. Not bad for urban observing! On the whole, they were pretty typical for Geminids - white to yellowish-white, moderate in speed, leaving very little visible trails. I'd say most were in the mag 2 - 3 range, but there were at least six that were mag 0 or brighter. We estimated our limiting magnitude at the zenith to be about 3.5.

After going in for a couple hours of sleep, we got up for the day. It's still good and dark at 5:00 a.m. so I had some coffee and went back out. Mike had to leave for work so I was on my own. I only clicked off 5 more between 5:20 and 5:50 a.m. before I had to get ready for my own day. It would have been nice to stay out a little longer and watch the dawn break. Darn that day job anyhow!

Regards,
Christine

Sweet the coming on
Of grateful evening mild; then silent night
With this her solemn bird and this fair moon,
And these the gems of heaven, her starry train.
--John Milton

Posted 12/14/2010 11:28PM | Edited 12/14/2010 11:29PM #1
From Greenville SC environs (outlying urban)

Twas good. Sunday night I looked out my front door sidelight before going to bed and almost immediately saw a Geminid. That Piqued me for Monday. Around 10 pm I stood in the cold behind my house with not a great view of the sky and saw 3 in about 6 minutes. Just after midnight I ventured out for about an hour and twenty minutes and saw 50. The interesting thing with these Geminids was that they came in bunches more often than I had ever seen in a modest meteor shower. In periods of 5-20 seconds I saw 2-5 meteors which was unique in my viewing history, disregarding the 1966 and 2001 Leonids. Also noted were quite a few meteors within a few degrees of the radiant.

Came in to warm up and drink a bit of coffee and ventured out again just after 2 am and witnessed 60 in about an hour and a half. Considering that the transparency was compromised at well under mag 5, it was viewed by me to be a successful night/morning. Sorry you missed it if you did, but you gotta pay to
play.

Jud
Simpsonville SC




I Yam What I Yam!