(meteorobs) June Bootids - Call for observations

[RainerArlt]

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    Call for observations
=================================

Numerical computations of the June Bootid meteoroid stream by
several researchers has revealed heighetened chances to see a
maximum of June Bootid activity this year as early as

   2004 June 23, roughly 10h - 19h

A global converage of June Bootid activity will be a most 
helpful campaign in validating the numerical models. Obser-
vations are required also for times not covered by the 
predictions. It is unlikely though that a meteor storm will 
occur. Enhanced meteor rates may mean that as few as 10 June 
Bootids are appearing per hour.

It is thus recommended to plot the meteors into gnomonic
star maps and test for June Bootid membershift _after_ the
observation. This method has proven to give more reliable
results. 

The entry velocity of the June Bootids is extremely slow:
18 km/s (geocentric speed 14 km/s). June Bootids are very
slow meteors. If the meteor looks slow, it is not a June
Bootid. Only if it looks _unusually_ slow, it is one. Once
you have seen a real one, you'll know what I try to convey
here.

Note that the apparent radiant is always shifted towards
the zenith by a few degrees. This is because of the slow
speed of the June Bootids. Take the true radiant at
alpha ~ 223 deg (RA = 14h50), delta ~ +47 and shift it
slightly towards the zenith. June Bootids should come from
this point.

Please send your observing reports in a style similar to

     http://www.imo.net/visual/imoform.html

to me at rarlt at aip.de, or to the meteorobs mailing list
at meteorobs at meteorobs.org if you wish to share your expe-
riences with others.

Times below are rounded to 1/2 hours.


Mikiya Sato:
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  Times between 12:30 and 19:30 UT are given depending on the
  dust trail approaching the Earth.

Sergey Shanov & Sergey Dubrowskiy:
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  Times of 09:30 - 13:00 UT are given for various encounters to
  very small distances from the Earth. Other possibilities
  are 14:00, 15:30, 18:00 UT.
  

Jeremie Vaubaillon:
-------------------
  A time centered on 11:00 UT is given.



Clear skies,
Rainer Arlt

--
Rainer Arlt  --  Astrophysikalisches Institut Potsdam -- www.aip.de
Visual Commission - International Meteor Organization -- www.imo.net
rarlt at aip.de --  phone: +49-331-7499-354  --  fax: +49-331-7499-526