(meteorobs) ~12 May 2006: Comet 73P Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 returns

[Watt, Alex]

For a week or two around 12-13 May the comet 73P Schwassmann-Wachmann 3
will be returning to the earth's vicinity, and an accompanying meteor
shower is predicted by some, as it was seen to be disintegrating when it
was last at perihelion in 1995 and 2001 (see
http://cometography.com/pcomets/073p.html and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann for info).

I wonder if anyone has any comments on this?

Looking at 73P's previous apparitions, I have found the following
online:

[from http://www.plaza.across.or.jp/~suzukima/english/71mton-e.html ]
"The enhanced activity of the May Alpha Bootids was observed during May
23 to 29, 2000 in Japan. The maximum activity occurred on May 24 with HR
= 3, and the radiant is alpha = 212, delta = +17. [...] the radiant of
this shower is near the predicted radiant of comet
73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3"


[from http://www.meteorobs.org/maillist/msg21490.html courtesy Sergey
Shanov]

"Date (2001)  Solar longitude     RD(AU)        RADIANT     Vg (km/sec)*
                                               RA   Decl
May 15.1        54.3              0.054        209   +21        14
May 22.3        61.2              0.042        211   +25        13
May 31.3        69.9              0.054        209   +29        12

[from http://www.meteorobs.org/maillist/msg18563.html , courtesy Takema
Hashimoto & 

">       Object                            RD(au)   RA (deg) Decl (deg)
Vg 
> 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (1930.06.09)  0.002    221      +47
13 
> Tau Herculids              (1930.06.09)           236      +42 
> 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 (1979.05.31)  0,05     210      +32
12 
> May Alpha-Bootids                                 ?        ?
? 


[...] From "Astronomical Circular" (in Japan), the journal of NMS:

  Y     M    D       R.A.   Dec.    N      Obs.
  1969  May 17/18    215    +25     5      Y.Takeuchi
            21/22    215    +20.5   6      A.Kawagoe
  1970  May 30/31    212    +23     4      Ogasawara
            30/31    214    +19     7      Ogasawara
  1971  May 30/31    215    +20     5      K.Oikawa"

From
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-bib_query?bibcode=2001JIMO...29...
15L&db_key=AST&data_type=HTML&format=

"Prospects for the 2001 encounter of the 1941 dust trail [....] the
maximum would be on May 30.41, with a radiant position at alpha = 212
deg, delta =+28 deg. "


I note that little activity is predicted this year by P A Wiegert et
al.(
http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1365-2966.2005.09199.
x )


Regards, Alex Watt




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