In anticipation of the poor skies this weekend (the scheduled peak for the Geminid's), several of us took advantage of clear, cold skies last night to check out the Geminid Meteor Shower. We started our observing session a little before midnight and continued until about 4 a.m. Temperatures were expected to get down into the low 20's but it turned out a little warmer than that. The Full Moon was a definite distraction but you take what you get when observing meteor showers!
We observed our first Geminid at exactly midnight....a very bright (Procyon bright) but short trailed meteor followed by two others within the next 30 minutes. In total we observed about 15 meteors during the session. Not a very robust event, but the Full Moon certainly played a role in the low count.
Dave
Early Geminid's Report
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Unitron48
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Early Geminid's Report
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
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Arctic
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Something is better than nothing!
Gordon
Scopes: Meade LX10 8" SCT, Explore Scientific AR102 Refractor on ES Twilight 1 Mount, Oberwerks 15X70 Binos, Nikon Action Extreme 10X50 Binos.
Eyepieces: ES 68* 24mm, ES 68* 20mm, ES 82* 11mm, ES 82* 8.8mm
Observing: Messier Objects--110/110, H1 Objects-- 400/400. Hundreds of additional NGC Objects. Significant Comets: Kohoutek, West, Halley, Hyakatake, Hale-Bopp, McNair, Neowise. Transits of Mercury and Venus.
2017 Total Solar Eclipse
Scopes: Meade LX10 8" SCT, Explore Scientific AR102 Refractor on ES Twilight 1 Mount, Oberwerks 15X70 Binos, Nikon Action Extreme 10X50 Binos.
Eyepieces: ES 68* 24mm, ES 68* 20mm, ES 82* 11mm, ES 82* 8.8mm
Observing: Messier Objects--110/110, H1 Objects-- 400/400. Hundreds of additional NGC Objects. Significant Comets: Kohoutek, West, Halley, Hyakatake, Hale-Bopp, McNair, Neowise. Transits of Mercury and Venus.
2017 Total Solar Eclipse
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helicon
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Sounds great Dave and a successful meteor session.
-Michael
Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Refractors: ES AR152 f/6.5 Achromat on Twilight II, Celestron 102mm XLT f/9.8 on Celestron Heavy Duty Alt Az mount, KOWA 90mm spotting scope
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Unitron48
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Thanks! Agree and actually this was one of our better Geminid observing sessions. I've never been real "lucky" with this meteor shower!
Dave
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"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
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Lady Fraktor
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Nice that you could get out Dave, still studying cloud formations here at the moment.
Gabrielle
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See Far Sticks: Elita 103/1575, AOM FLT 105/1000, Bresser 127/1200 BV, Nočný stopár 152/1200, Vyrobené doma 70/700, Stellarvue NHNG DX 80/552, TAL RS 100/1000, Vixen SD115s/885
EQ: TAL MT-1, Vixen SXP, SXP2, AXJ, AXD
Az/Alt: AYO Digi II, Stellarvue M2C, Argo Navis encoders on both
Tripods: Berlebach Planet (2), Uni 28 Astro, Report 372, TAL factory maple, Vixen ASG-CB90, Vixen AXD-TR102
Diagonals: Astro-Physics, Baader Amici, Baader Herschel, iStar Blue, Stellarvue DX, Tak prism, TAL, Vixen
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Unitron48
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
We were fortunate to get a break...but not so for the next week or so.Lady Fraktor wrote: ↑Thu Dec 12, 2019 5:07 pm Nice that you could get out Dave, still studying cloud formations here at the moment.
Dave
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"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
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patrickdives
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
I'm glad you saw a fair number of meteors considering the full Moon. I enjoy meteor showers but our cloudy skies have been an issue this week.
Equipment: Obsession Classic 15, Televue Ethos (13, 21, 6) Televue Nagler (22, 31), Explore Scientific (6.7, 18),
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AbbN
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Lucky you! Take it when you can get it 
I haven't seen my sky in almost a month 
I assume it's still there 
Abb
I haven't seen my sky in almost a month I assume it's still there Abb
TELESCOPES: Celestron Omni XLT 120, Explore Scientific AR102, Orion ST80 Refractors; 8" Skywatcher Dob; Orion Apex 102 Mak; Coronado PST. LENSES: ES 4.7, 6.7, 11, 18 and 30mm 82° EPs; Baader 24mm 68°; Luminos 15mm 82°; Meade 8-24mm Zoom. OTHER: CG4+16" Orion Pier Extension; Celestron Skymaster 20x80 binos etc;
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Bigzmey
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
15 with full Moon - very good! How did you entertain yourself between the meteors?
Scopes: Stellarvue: SV102ED; Celestron: 9.25" EdgeHD, 8" SCT, 150ST, Onyx 80ED; iOptron: Hankmeister 6" Mak; SW: 7" Mak; Meade: 80ST.
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EPs: Pentax: XWs & XFs; TeleVue: Delites, Panoptic & Plossls; ES: 68, 62; Vixen: SLVs; Baader: BCOs, Aspherics, Mark IV.
Diagonals: Baader: BBHS mirror, Zeiss Spec T2 prism, Clicklock dielectric; TeleVue: Evebrite dielectric; AltairAstro: 2" prism.
Filters: Lumicon: DeepSky, UHC, OIII, H-beta; Baader: Moon & SkyGlow, Contrast Booster, UHC-S, 6-color set; Astronomik: UHC.
Solar: HA: Lunt 50mm single stack, W/L: Meade Herschel wedge.
Observing: DSOs: 3106 (Completed: Messier, Herschel 1, 2, 3. In progress: H2,500: 2180, S110: 77). Doubles: 2437, Comets: 34, Asteroids: 257
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Unitron48
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Was with two regular observing buddies....always have lots to talk about!
Also, plenty of coffee and lemon cookies
Dave
Unitron (60mm, 102mm), Brandon 94
Stellarvue SVX127D
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"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better." Albert Einstein
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Re: Early Geminid's Report
Very nice, Dave!
Bryan
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