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(meteorobs) Re: 103P/Hartley 2 Meteor Outburst?

Dear reader,

In answer on the notice send around by Joe Rao, and for clarity, I want 
to make clear that Peter Jenniskens never said (publicly, at least) that 
there would certainly be good activity of P/Hartley 2 a few days from 
now. I put that this way, because from the communications this seems to 
be the oppinion. Chances for P/Hartley 2 activity are very low indeed, 
though not impossible, and this is also acknowledged by Peter. Yet, never 
say never. Meteor outburst of near comet type are caused by 
dust in the region near the comet that has a similar history of planetary 
disturbance as the comet. At least part of the dust will be disturbed 
with the comet. Then, it depends on the spread (due to earlier orbital 
evolution!) of the dust around the comet if we will see anything. For 
P/Hartley2, these prospects indeed seem not too good, the orbit being too 
unstable in short term perspective.

We have been looking for meteors of this comet in 1991. We saw nothing. 
So don't expect too much. Yet, it is always better to look: you never 
know! There have been other streams of which nothing serious was expected.

-Marco Langbroek
(Dutch Meteor Society)
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