[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: (meteorobs) 1989 Leonid Outburst
>We should also not forget the more classical node of lamda_sol = 235.16
>deg, which has shown notable activity for the last couple of years of
>Leonid observations. This crossing occurs a couple of hours before the
>current predicted peak, at 17.4 +-0.5 hoursUTC (Nov 17, 1998).
Thanks for mentioning that, Jim! I was beginning to wonder if we had lost
sight entirely of what is called the "traditional peak" of the Leonids!
Are there any independent flux estimates for this "old" component of the
Leonids stream over the past couple of years? Is it statistically greater
than the "traditional" ZHR of 10-15 for the Leonids of the 1970s?
[For folks new to the list, one of the most fascinating things about a
meteoroid stream is that it actually contains inside of it the history
of a comet's earlier passages through our inner solar system, each old
perihelic passage leaving its own distinct "imprint" or "substream" on
the whole complex of particles which make up the total stream... Thus,
by observing a meteor shower for several days before and after its peak
you are actually observing the remants of comet apparitions which might
be thousands of years in the Earth's past! Meteor showers are in fact
the ghosts of long-past cometary visions...]
Clear skies,
Lew
To UNSUBSCRIBE from the 'meteorobs' email list, use the Web form at:
http://www.tiacdot net/users/lewkaren/meteorobs/subscribe.html
References: