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Re: (meteorobs) Leonids period
In a message dated 8/31/99 10:40:36 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
J.Talbert@RacalATE.com writes:
<< Temple-Tuttle's period or orbit around the sun is 33
years so every 33 years we can expect new debris and higher meteor counts
>>
Although 55P/Tempel-Tuttle sheds new debris at each perihelion (which indeed
come at roughly 33 year intervals) the material that can lead to a strong
shower or meteor storm is usually not associated with the most recent
shedding of debris, but with material that may have been shed several comet
revolutions in the past. The fireball display that was observed last year
was traced by David Asher and other colleagues to debris that was loosed from
the comet in 1333 (20 revolutions ago). Should we be fortunate enough to
witness a meteor storm this year, much of the material would likely come from
dust particles that were shed in 1899 (three revolutions ago).
-- joe rao
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