(meteorobs) Ursid and Quadrantid?

[Tony Markham]

Hi Paul,

The problem is of course that meteor streams don't have "rigid" boundaries
and it is therefore somewhat arbitrary as to when we start describing
outliers that are being perturbed out of the meteor stream as sporadics
rather than as Quadrantids. In the past, such meteors occurring well
outside the "traditional" shower dates would always have been called
sporadics.

Nowadays, however, video networks can calculate their orbits and note that
the orbits have similarities to that of the Quadrantid meteor stream.
However, I don't believe that it is helpful for websites to list these as
definite Quadrantids or to extend outwards the activity dates quoted for
the Quadrantids (that would only mislead people who write Sky Diary
columns). At best, I would describe such meteors as "Quadrantid outliers".
The activity dates quoted for the Quadrantids should continue to represent
the dates during which the meteor shower would be apparent to an observer
with dark skies.

Tony

On 28 December 2014 at 08:15, Paul Zeller <pzeller1966 at gmail.com> wrote:

>   It may have been a sporadic. However, the information I have from the
> web tells me the Quadrantids start as early as December 28. Also, the
> SpaceWeather.com site has been cataloging Quadrantid fireballs for the last
> couple of weeks. So I'm not sure I can just write this one off as a chance
> random sporadic. Anyone else out there with any thoughts about this?
> On Dec 26, 2014 5:58 AM, "Roberto Gorelli" <md6648 at mclink.it> wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 26 Dec 2014 04:57:16 -0500
>>  Paul Zeller <pzeller1966 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>>  I had very clear skies for most of the night and decided to get out and
>>> count/plot meteors, though we're between major showers. I observed
>>> between
>>> 8:00 - 9:05 UT Dec. 26. LM near 5.0 with some high clouds moving in by
>>> the
>>> end. I was watching high in the Northwest. Only 4 meteors seen, and 2
>>> were
>>> Sporadic. But from the speed and direction, I'm almost sure that one was
>>> a
>>> late Ursid while another was an early Quadrantid. Is this possible? I
>>> realize that both showers are known for very sharp, short lasting peaks,
>>> and that we're almost four days past the Ursid peak and nine days away
>>> from
>>> the Quadrantids peak. I just wanted to throw this out there! Paul Z.
>>> Indianapolis IN USA.
>>>
>>
>>
>> Quadrantids at 26 december, nine days before the peak? Sorry, pratically
>> impossible, probably sporadic meteor casually in the right direction and
>> speed.
>> Best greetingsw.
>> Roberto Gorelli
>>
>>
>>
>>
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