[APML] Leonids Photos...

[astropix@att.net]

 Hey Everyone...

     Like many here, I tried my luck this morning on catching a few on film... 
shot 100 exposures... got about eight. The forecast here in Atlanta/North GA 
deteriorated rapidly monday... so I rolled the dice. I picked the western most 
areas in NC, SC and GA on Clear Sky Clock that had favorable predictions... 
drew a line on the map and picked a spot just south and east... a real crap-
shoot. This turned out to be Aiken State Park, just outside Aiken SC. Skies 
were much better than Atl. but were plagued with high cirrus off and on all 
night.

     As others reported... I, too observed most activity from the radiant 
toward Ursa Major. Since the bright moon challenged film speeds and focal 
ratios with quick saturation... I chose my wide angle lenses. Typically, the 
wider glass just can't resolve the fainter meteors... better to get coverage 
with multiple 50mm lenses when going for meteor showers on 35mm film... but 
with the full moon... what the heck. I was hoping for some of the bright ones 
like last year, but it wasn't to be.

     Still, I kept myself busy all night and snagged a few. Activity picked up 
at my location around 06:00 UT... in fits and starts. I toyed with my mount, 
looking at Saturn and more in my 8" SCT... watching the radiant frequently. I 
shot one roll of 36 from a tripod with a 28mm lens from 2:00 till 4:30 EST, 
then as things picked up I shot twin cameras from a piggy-back set up... 24mm 
and 35mm lenses. Frost was a serious issue... it was 30*F... the lenses would 
begin to get covered after about 3 min. So I shot 3 min. then 5 min. then 
defrost... repeat... over and over until daybreak. I've got a modified hot-air 
comb that doesn't draw much current and zaps the moisture pretty good... glad I 
didn't forget it! The predicted peak was 10:30 UT... the actual peak was at 
10:40 UT... amazing the professionals could hit it that close!

     I've slept about 2 hours out of the last 36... so most of the processing 
will go into my backlog... but I did work up one of the tripod shots. See:

     http://home.att.net/~astropix/Leonids_tripod_1.html

... yes, that is a meteor in there... *not* a scratch in the film :-) which was 
Fuji Provia 400F if anyone wants to know...

 Best...

 Geoff Powers



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