Perseids 2017 - Oh Dear! :P

[Macavity]

Thought I'd "have a go" at the Perseids last night...
Sometimes "negative results can be interesting"?

For what it's worth, equipment is my Watec 120N+
(An integrating video camera), Computar 2.6mm
f/1.0 C-type 1/2" lens (Bought from an SGL'er!).

I select the *maximum* possible integration time
to minimise later video file searching time! From a
PREVIOUS YEAR I bagged quite a few meteors:

This time: Hmmm... Looks promising! 

First Perseid? But what's that glow to the left? 

Oops - Completely Forgot about the MOON! 

Later Still: Aaaaaargh!



Oh Well! 

[SpaceFish]

I feel your pain Macavity.

 

I was out from 00:00 to 01:00 last night, just in the garden eyeballing it but I think I saw a grand total of 1, and that might have been a spec on my specs. And as usual clouds forecast tonight.

 

Oh well, let the masicism continue, good luck.

[Mr niall]

I was really enjoying last night, weather forecast said it was clear until at least 1am. but went out early at about 9.45. I'd just finished on M13 about 10.30 and a solid wall of cloud appeared and stayed overhead until this morning so glad I went out early.

Love your images - although the first one you posted is no meteor. Its the spaceship from "flight of the navigator"....

[Macavity]

Good luck to anyone who tries tonight etc.

I guess I was somewhat surprised as to the
dramatic effect of the Moon. I also had the
impression there weren't many Perseids... 

Though the former may trump the latter.

[Mick J]

I was out for a half hour in Oxford at 3am,  think I saw 2 quick perseids out of the corner of my eye, Moon was so bright and it felt warmer that 11pm ? 

No chance tonight - but looking better for tomorrow.

[Pete Presland]

Looking better tonight for many areas of the country i believe and the moon will rise a little later, plus a tiny bit smaller 

[Astroscot2]

Clear all night tonight apparently.  Going to set up camera on obsy roof to run all night and see what i get. 

[johnoelliott]

I noticed the clouds retreating this morning around 1AM so I jumped in my truck, grabbed a Tim Hortons and went to my local park. Was quite surprised by the numbers that I saw...counted 47 from about 1:30 AM until 4 AM when I decided to pack it in.  What surprised me the most is the 13 I saw that instead of radiating outward from Perseus actually radiated inwards towards Perseus...never seen that many before. I also saw 17 really short almost pinpoint fireballs  and 3 nice long ones that left trails behind

[mikey2000]

The last Perseids I saw were mostly ok but with a few "wow"! fireballs.  It may be cloudy here but for tonight,I'm going to wait up a little longer just in case the clouds clear a bit more.   

[trynda1701]

Well, I'm just in from a visual session looking for Perseids from 23:10BST Saturday to 01:50BST Sunday. Saw a total of 22 Perseids. Now that doesn't seem a lot, but from my garden with a twelve foot street light right outside it, I'm pleased!

 

Mostly mag 2 or 3, but a couple of mag 0 ones, and with an amazing fireball of mag -4? and orange in colour, leaving a five second or so trail coming away from Cassiopeia towards Pegasus being the highlight! Seeing as I haven't seen the shower in five years, I'm a happy astronomer!

 

Got a good look at random Messier objects and other binocular objects in the 10x50s too, including a first look of the season at M45 as it rose over the trees to my east. So a good observing session overall.

 

And as my phone said it was 8° outside when I came in, I'm glad I took the BIG jacket and wooly hat to wear!

 

Mark

[geordie85]

It's not been too bad for me. Seen plenty with several "wow!" ones. 

Just a shame I didn't manage to image any. As usual the appear in a different direction to where my camera is pointing or they appear in-between exposures. 

Oh well there's always next year without the moon 

[brrttpaul]

Just got in from the brecon beacons, counted 67 between 11 and 2, bed now

[Macavity]

Glad to hear they haven't "stopped" anyway!

Just checked Log - Above effort was 2015(!) in
the early hours of 12th August! Recording about 
TEN per hour with the milky way just visible...

<thinking> Tying up quite a "posh" (for me!)
Watec Camera for cloud monitoring is a bit of
a waste! I resolve do more... For now anyway!

[mikey2000]

Well, I shot 200 ultra-wide angle long exposures last night and got 90% cloud shots (I was feeling lucky but the cloud-break in the forecast never really came true).  The other 10% had little holes in the cloud, even some big gaps.  But I didn't get any meteors :-(

Total cloud forecast for here tonight.  Maybe next year....