[AZ-Observing] Leonids: Peoria

(Best viewed with a fixed pitch font.)

I drug my kids out of bed at 0300 MST to give them a last chance to see a 
meteor storm.  We finally got situated about 0315, lying in the back yard with 
an improvised moon shade.  I divided the time we were out into segments to try 
to identify a peak.  The data is below:

Time         #1       #2      #3     #4
--------    -----   -----   -----   -----
0315-0330     5       11      12      19
0330-0345    26       44      49      56
0345-0355    28       41      52      44
0355-0405    13      Zzzz     13      25
0405-0415    14      Zzzz      9      11
            -----   -----   -----   -----
Total        81       85     123     136

Notes:
1. Observer #1 (me) didn't start with the others and had the smallest segment 
of visible sky.
2. Observer #4 had the widest segment of sky.
3. Observer #2 decided to count meteors on the inside of his eyelids for the 
last two periods.
4. The time periods are not the same size.  It appears that our peak was 
between 0345 and 0355 MST.  I wish I had done ten minute breaks from the 
beginning.

I guesstimated the limiting magnitude (for my old eyes) at about 4.  Using the 
nomogram in the November Sky & Tel, it would indicate that we would see about 
5% of the local ZHR.  That would place the ZHR at about 3360 for our location, 
during the peak period.

I didn't see any of the 30-40 degree, huge fire balls that we saw last year 
from the same location (observing through clouds.)  Most of the ones we saw 
were short, relatively dim.  I did see the second fireball that Steve Coe 
mentioned.  I wasn't watching when he saw the first.

Comparing with the other observers' reports, it appears that Peoria was the 
place to be for Arizona Leonid observing.

Clear skies.
Joe

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