(meteorobs) Biela's comet

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

In a message dated 8/15/04 10:12:43 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
kimhay at kingston.net writes:

<< Thanks for the note on the Beila's.  It will be nice to know in a 
 century or so, future generations of meteor observers might think 
 they found a new meteor shower. >>

    I would like to remind everyone that we currently have a comet in our 
midst that may very well be considered to be a modern version of Comet Biela.  
The comet in question is 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann-3, which, like Comet Biela, 
fragmented back in 1995. Observations showed that there were originally four 
separate fragments.  Two of these pieces were definitively seen when the comet 
returned to the inner solar system in late 2000.  

    Interestingly, on May 17, 2006, at 6:41 UT, one of these fragments is 
predicted to pass just 4.8 million miles from Earth.

    When the comet fragmented in 1995, considerable dust was apparently 
expelled into space.  This dust trail eventually will cross paths with Earth and in 
fact, calculations suggest that on May 31.205 (UT), in the year 2022, this 
trail will pass just 0.0004 a.u. from Earth and might very well produce a 
significant meteor outburst. 

    The full details can be found in WGN 29-1/2, February-April 2001, pp 
15-28.  This well-written paper was authored by Hartwig Luthen, Rainer Arlt, and 
Michael Jager. 

-- joe rao