By Kim Y.
I arose at
4:45 AM local time saturday hoping to catch a brief one-hour glimpse
of this year's Eta Aquarids. I was out in the backyard under the
stars by 5:00 AM but as usual, quite disappointed in my limiting
magnitudes from home -- the setting full moon did not help in
this respect. Worse, my timing was a bit off, as twilight was
quite evident by 5:40 local time, giving me less than the hour
I'd hoped for. I was just able to see n-Delphinus with averted
vision but since I han't planned on any formal observation I didn't
bother with doing any actual star counts for an accurate LM determination.
I'd say my LM was just under +5.0.
Still, I was
treated to five well-spaced-out ETA's and one sporadic for my
effort in 40 minutes observing time. All but one of the ETA's
exhibited trains and the nicest was a 0 magnitude yellow-orange
beauty with about a fifteen-degree path length. Even above the
glow of the city lights and between the trees, I was able to make
out the water-jar asterism and thus had accurate shower association
with all the observed meteors.
It is also
very interesting to read the radio observer's reports that strong
late, post peak activity for the shower continues this year. This
is apparently an affirmation of what experienced visual obervers
have stated in this forum for the past few years...the ETA's can
put on a strong, if not stronger, showing a day or two after the
conventional peak date of May 5th.
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