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(meteorobs) June Bootids
After being dormant for more than half a century the June Bootid meteor
shower came to life last year on the evenings of June 27 and 28. Strong
rates persisted for more than 24 hours allowing everyone with clear
skies a chance to view some of the activity. This encounter was not the
result of the close approach of the parent comet Pons-Winnecke, rather
it seems that the Earth encountered particles in an old orbit of Pons-
Winnecke that may have recently been perturbed back into a position to
encounter the Earth. This does not guarantee that a repeat performance
will occur every year, but chances are that some activity from the June
Bootid meteor shower may be seen.
Unfortunately this year June 27 and 28 coincide with the full moon
therefore the fainter shower members will be all but lost in the glare
of the intense moonlight. There may be a chance that some of the
brighter members can be seen in areas of the sky away from the
moonlight. The best activity is anticipated to occur on Sunday evening
June 27 and continue into Monday. To observe this shower start watching
as soon as darkness falls on Sunday evening. It would be advisable to
face toward the north or west to keep the moonlight out of ones direct
line of sight. The radiant lies in northern Bootes at the position of
15:20 +47. This position is nearly overhead for the temperate latitudes
of the Northern Hemisphere. The June Bootids are among the slowest of
shower meteors with an entry velocity of only 18 km/sec. They will
appear much slower than the average meteor, often covering less than 5
degrees per second of motion.
We would request that observers who wish to monitor this shower to
record the number of June Bootids seen verses the number of sporadic
(random) meteors seen during a specified amount of time, usually in
periods of one hour. It is important that each person keeps their own
tally as group rates are worthless. It is also important to estimate the
limiting magnitude of your sky (the faintest star visible), to note any
cloud cover or obstructions (listed as a percent of your field of view),
and to note any breaks taken during your watch. These parameters are
important so that all observers data can be corrected to a common factor
and that all data may be directly compared. Other interesting data that
may be recorded is the color of each meteor, its magnitude, and whether
it produced a persistent train (uncommon with slow meteors).
May your skies be clear and be sure to let us know what you see!
Bob Lunsford
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