Question about meteors, comet 209P/LINEAR
- Thread starter Bluegill
- Start date
Scordatura
Critical Thinker
Thanks for the report macdoc. I'm a little jealous – the skies here in the PNW were too crapped up to spot any satellites. Pretty picture. 
We were clouded over for most of the night and it was windy but we saw 4 during breaks in the sky so I'd call it a success. Our town is dark enough to observe from our back deck so at least we didn't have to leave home.
From about 11 pm to 12 I saw a couple of little zippers and one brighter one. The best one of the night was also the last one. Around 12:30 there was a bright (maybe mag. -4 to -5 so I'll call it a fireball) meteor almost directly from the radiant, with a long trail lasting ~ 1 to 2 minutes. It was partly obscured by a cloud but what we saw of it was spectacular. After that the sky closed up and that was that.
We were clouded over for most of the night and it was windy but we saw 4 during breaks in the sky so I'd call it a success. Our town is dark enough to observe from our back deck so at least we didn't have to leave home.
From about 11 pm to 12 I saw a couple of little zippers and one brighter one. The best one of the night was also the last one. Around 12:30 there was a bright (maybe mag. -4 to -5 so I'll call it a fireball) meteor almost directly from the radiant, with a long trail lasting ~ 1 to 2 minutes. It was partly obscured by a cloud but what we saw of it was spectacular. After that the sky closed up and that was that.
macdoc
Philosopher
Nor sure if it's possible but that the exact time for me given you a4e 3 hours west.
I could not follow the entire trail but it was very long and persisted and was just enough to be a fireball but was a good cruiser not quite a earth grazer as it was pointed downward a bit.
I could not follow the entire trail but it was very long and persisted and was just enough to be a fireball but was a good cruiser not quite a earth grazer as it was pointed downward a bit.
Scordatura
Critical Thinker
Yeah, I wondered about that too. Your description closely fits mine. I'm about 2600m/4200km away so not likely, though I don't know the math to try and calculate it. It was about 60 - 65 degrees above the horizon and because of the trail I'll assume it was at least 30m/48km high.
I've heard of people sighting a meteor across several states but not across the country. Plus mine just barely qualified as a fireball. Someone in Toronto got a nice photo of one around 3 – 3:30.
http://www.universetoday.com/112120/camelopardalid-meteor-shower-skimpy-but-sweet/
Even though the shower was disappointing overall I'm glad I got to see a few Camelopardalids – with such a poor sky I didn't expect to see any.
macdoc
Philosopher
I think we can ignore height above the horizon - were you looking north?.
I think it should have been lower on the horizon for you by a good stretch - so unlikely.
This is the closest to what I saw except the trail was longer - this would have been 1/3 of the way down between the pole star and the horizon and it would intersect the big dipper - it went entirely across my field of vision so longer persistence than this one.
That actually is a Camelopard photo someone uploaded but I had to reorient from here
http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2014/05/06/new-meteor-shower-and-possible-meteor-storm-on-may-24th/
About the correct impression ....was a good one and worth the couple of chilly hours.
I think it should have been lower on the horizon for you by a good stretch - so unlikely.
This is the closest to what I saw except the trail was longer - this would have been 1/3 of the way down between the pole star and the horizon and it would intersect the big dipper - it went entirely across my field of vision so longer persistence than this one.
That actually is a Camelopard photo someone uploaded but I had to reorient from here
http://thewatchers.adorraeli.com/2014/05/06/new-meteor-shower-and-possible-meteor-storm-on-may-24th/
About the correct impression ....was a good one and worth the couple of chilly hours.
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Howie Felterbush
Bow Tie Daddy
We saw about a half-dozen good ones last night. We went out to Horicon marsh, about a fifteen minute walk from our house. Had to hide in the woods from a cop for a while since the park area closes at nine. He must have been checking the parking lot; it seems like a popular 'lover's lane'. After he left we sneaked out onto the nature trails and walked until we had a nice unobstructed view. Even though the area is between two small towns, the light pollution is low enough that the Milky Way can be faintly seen.
It wasn't the fiery display we were hoping for, but we heard some coyotes celebrating and saw a few meteors, so it was worth the lost sleep.
It wasn't the fiery display we were hoping for, but we heard some coyotes celebrating and saw a few meteors, so it was worth the lost sleep.
Yeah, I wondered about that too. Your description closely fits mine. I'm about 2600m/4200km away so not likely, though I don't know the math to try and calculate it. It was about 60 - 65 degrees above the horizon and because of the trail I'll assume it was at least 30m/48km high.
I've heard of people sighting a meteor across several states but not across the country. Plus mine just barely qualified as a fireball. Someone in Toronto got a nice photo of one around 3 – 3:30.
http://www.universetoday.com/112120/camelopardalid-meteor-shower-skimpy-but-sweet/
Even though the shower was disappointing overall I'm glad I got to see a few Camelopardalids – with such a poor sky I didn't expect to see any.
Lucky you! And thanks for the nice link!
macdoc
Philosopher
I did consider what I saw a fireball but it's on the marginal side for that. Fireball I think should have a bit more defined head but the persistance was so pronounced and a good wide trail I considered it as one.
I wonder if the difference my be loosely agglomerated versus solid body.
This almost seemed like disintegrating snowball rather than a melting rock.
I wonder if the difference my be loosely agglomerated versus solid body.
This almost seemed like disintegrating snowball rather than a melting rock.
THEY are claiming a hit.
http://spaceweather.com/
In the future it will be archived for May 28, 2014.
Cool. Too bad we couldn't see them.
http://spaceweather.com/
In the future it will be archived for May 28, 2014.
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Mike!
Official Ponylandistanian National Treasure. Re
Too bad none of us are bats.
Howie Felterbush
Bow Tie Daddy
The whole time we were watching for meteors, I kept seeing very faint streaks. Like, so faint I began to wonder if I was seeing them at all. The area we were watching from was pretty dark with very little glow coming from nearby, so I guess I could have been seeing some very faint ones.
Or do I just need to clean my glasses?
macdoc
Philosopher
I thought the same but was hard to assess.
Scordatura
Critical Thinker
Interesting. I had space radio on in the kitchen and there were a lot of pings – enough that I wondered if some were artifacts but maybe it was picking up a lot of dim zippers.
I'm thinking about digging out the Pronto or the binocs If it stops raining tonight to try and see the comet. I don't know if either are big enough but maybe worth a try.