(meteorobs) Zodiacal Lights and peaks of Meteor showers?

[Richard Taibi]

Thomas,

There is no causal connection between meteor showers and the zodiacal light. 
  Meteors come from cometary debris trails that intersect the earth's orbit, 
with us at the intersection point.  Meteors are the light trails that result 
when the debris burns in the earth's atmosphere. The zodiacal light is 
composed of dust that orbits the sun and shines by reflected sunlight.

Your question has a historical precedent.  When the 1833 Leonid storm 
occurred, the zodiacal light was also prominent.  Searching for a cause for 
the meteor storm, Denison Olmsted the chronicler of the 1833 show, kept 
records of whether the lights were present, or not, at succeeding Leonid 
returns.  As a result of his research, he came to believe that the Leonids 
were associated with the zodiacal light.  His observations suggested that 
the earth drew nearer the light at the time of the shower.  Understand this 
was in the 1830s and 40s.  It was not until the middle 1860s that Giovanni 
Schiaparelli made the causal connection between comets' debris and meteors.

Best wishes,  Rich

>From: Thomas Dorman <drygulch_99 at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: Global Meteor Observing Forum <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
>To: meteorobs at meteorobs.org
>Subject: (meteorobs) Zodiacal Lights  and peaks of Meteor showers?
>Date: Mon, 20 Nov 2006 04:27:40 -0800 (PST)
>
>Hi.All
>Out here in far west Texas on Sunday morning we had an
>unusual bright display of Zodiacal lights.I live in a
>moderately light polluted area and the Zodiacal lights
>were so bright on Sunday morning November 19 that they
>punched through the light dome in my area.This display
>of bright Zodiacal lights was also observed by members
>of the El Paso Astronomy club about 50 miles to my
>east at our club's dark sky site at Williams ranch.The
>El Paso Astronomy Club's dark sky site is one the best
>dark sky sites in the U.S..My questions are is there a
>correlation between the brightening of the Zodiacal
>lights and the peak of a major meteor shower? Zodiacal
>lights on the morning November 19 also had a
>pronounced green hue.Is this green hue a common
>observed effect with the Zodiacal lights?I can't
>remember ever seeing a green color with the Zodiacal
>lights.Hope this is not to off topic.
>Regards
>Thomas Dorman
>Horizon City,Texas
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