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(meteorobs) New Light On the Recent Taurid Radiant
While out watching this morning I plotted 5 meteors from a radiant near
Zeta Tauri. This most certainly appears to be connected to the other
Taurid radiants seen by several observers the past two weeks.
I noticed something this morning that I should have picked up on the
first time I sighted this radiant. Plots this morning revealed the
radiant to be just west of the position of the summer solstice, or where
the sun is positioned on June 21 every year. It then dawned on me (duh)
that the Earth's apex will lie at this spot next week at the Autumnal
Equinox. Out of curiosity I calculated the precise location of the
Earth's apex for this morning and it was at 82 (5:28) +23. The Taurid
radiant for this morning was estimated at 83 (5:32) +22.
It appears to me that we have been following activity from the apex
source (90 degrees west of the sun) which is well known to experienced
observers but often evades sleepy-heads like me. This activity occurs
year-round but is probably best seen in the Northern Hemisphere during
September as the steep angle presented this time of year allows it to
climb very high in the sky before dawn interferes.
So much for another new radiant discovery!
Bob Lunsford
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