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(meteorobs) Radiant Diameter vs Radiant Activity Period
A question has occurred to me while talking about the Perseid Radiant spread
thread. Perhaps someone can explain? As we've noted, photographically the
Perseid radiant is 1.26 deg in diameter. The activity period for the perseids
is several weeks long. Now consider the radiant diameter of the N. Taurid at
1.94 deg and the S. Taurid at 2.20 deg. The activity period for the Taurids
is also several weeks long. It would seem to me that the radiant diameters
for the above showers would be much larger? It seems this way to me because
of the longer time the earth is traveling thru the stream that makes up these
showers and thus a thick stream? What is making these showers have an
apparent small radiant from the earth? I suggested for the Perseids that the
1.26 deg radiant diameter would be for the tight component. But I got this
gut feeling that this isn't correct and that the 1.26 deg perseid radiant
includes both the tight and broad components. Planet Venus also crosses thru
the Taurid radiant, so it definitely has a very thick stream. But why only
about a 2 deg radiant is noticed here on earth? Why not 5 deg or why not 1
deg? What's the determining factor?
GeoZay
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