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

[Skywayinc at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/21/06 7:59:00 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
Alex.Watt at thecrownestate.co.uk writes:

<< 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? >>

Although Comet 73P (or its fragments) will make an exceptionally close pass 
to Earth this spring, no significant meteor activity is expected to occur. 
Canadian meteor scientist, Peter Brown was kind enough about a year or so ago to 
forward a paper to me that discussed this situation in greater detail. It 
appeared in MNRAS, although I don't have the paper close at hand, so I cannot 
specify what year or volume it appeared in.  Basically it stated that the miss 
distance between the parent bodies and their associated particles are too great 
produce any kind of meteor shower.

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 
notable meteor outburst. 

The full details of that 2022 interaction 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