(meteorobs) Call for observations - 05/06 June, or 12/13 June? (was Re: P/2005 JQ5 (Catalina))

[Mikhail Maslov]

Hello, Lew, Rainer and others,

You are right, Rainer, in your explanation of my message. Having
nothing better we have to expect maximum activity in the point of
closest appoach of the Earth to the comet's orbit. This will occur on
12-13 June 2005. The Earth will pass this closest point on its orbit
about 7 before the comet will pass the analogous point (i.e. closest
to the Earth's orbit) on its own orbit. Remember chararteristics of
21P apparitions and activity expectations (Earth passes the node so
much days before/after 21P). In current case we a speaking not about
nodes, but about closest points of two orbits, but the principle is
the same.
And, I have to mention again, the orbital elements of the new comet
are perhaps not very accurate. So far the date of maximum, radiant and
activity perspectives at all are very uncertain (the latter will
remain uncertain, however :)

Best regards, Mikhail



R> Hi Lew and all,

>> Mikhail, I was not certain from the text of your message below... Would you
>> expect maximum activity (if any) from this comet's meteoroid stream on 12-13
>> June of this year? Or would expect this maximum activity 7 or so days before
>> then, when Earth passes the point of closest approach - so 05-06 June 2005?

>> > JQ5 (Catalina). Its orbit seems to be quite interesting because it
>> > lies close to the Earth's one. In 2005 apparition ascending node of
>> > the comet is at 0.090 AU inside the Earth's orbit. The Earth passes
>> > closest to it on 01.07.2005. But orbital inclination of the comet
>> > is low - only 5.679 deg. So the minimal distance between two orbits
>> > is almost 4 times lower (0.024 AU) and corresponds to 12-13.06.2005. In

R> I think he meant that the Earth is closest to the node on July 1,
R> and closest to the orbit in general on June 12-13. Are these dates
R> incorrect? If not it's June 12-13 we may expect something.


R> Best wishes,
R> Rainer