Hi Javor, great job. I had good weather at the start of last week but as the peak approached it got worse and worse and I missed a lot. However luck really did shine and right on ther very peak, from around 2300 to 0100UT, 13/14 the skies cleared and I got some really good spectra. I had some of my previous Geminid spectra used in the December Sky and Telescope but the article authour was still insisting that 80% of the Geminids are sodium free and my spectra were somehow unusual. In years of the highest resolution spectroscopy avaialbe I have never seen a sodium free Geminid meteor spectrum! And again this year, got six xpectrum in that 2 hour period and all had sodium lines. It's variable like discussed at the last IMC BUT it's always there! I don't understand why some observers ignore the evidence! but then again maybe it's me not understanding the issue.... I have a couple of spectra from a Tenerife observing trip in 2017 where the Na line is very weak, maybe thats considered "sodium free" but then its' only ~1 or 2% certainly not 80%. Anyway roll on the Quadratinds!
Hi Javor, great job. I had good weather at the start of last week but as the peak approached it got worse and worse and I missed a lot.
However luck really did shine and right on ther very peak, from around 2300 to 0100UT, 13/14 the skies cleared and I got some really good spectra.
I had some of my previous Geminid spectra used in the December Sky and Telescope but the article authour was still insisting that 80% of the Geminids are sodium free and my spectra were somehow unusual. In years of the highest resolution spectroscopy avaialbe I have never seen a sodium free Geminid meteor spectrum!
And again this year, got six xpectrum in that 2 hour period and all had sodium lines. It's variable like discussed at the last IMC BUT it's always there! I don't understand why some observers ignore the evidence! but then again maybe it's me not understanding the issue....
I have a couple of spectra from a Tenerife observing trip in 2017 where the Na line is very weak, maybe thats considered "sodium free" but then its' only ~1 or 2% certainly not 80%.
Anyway roll on the Quadratinds!
Bill, it is great to hear you were able to see the peak this year! The Geminid maximum night was totally hopeless here.