[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Coma Berenicids (was Re: (meteorobs) Okay Lew)


>This is something that I can do and seem to understand.

Amazing, huh? And so few amateur astronomers know the "meteor secret"!!


>I am looking for a little more information on the Coma Berenicids

I seem to be quoting IMO's Web site every other message this week, so I
might as well keep it up here! :) The below is from IMO's "1998 Meteor
Shower Calendar". The "COMs" were left out of 1999's Calendar, I guess
because their "peak" on 20 Dec is so affected by moonlight: but this
may well be a fairly diffuse shower, with no well-defined peak at all:

 http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal98.html#Coma-Berenicids

 "Coma Berenicids

  Active       : December 12 - January 23;
  Maximum      : December 20, (lambda = 2680),
  ZHR          = 5;
  Radiant      : alpha = 1750, delta = +250;
  Radius       : 50;
  Velocity     = 65 km/s;
  [...]
  A weak minor shower that is usually observed only during the Geminid and
  Quadrantid epochs, but which needs more coverage at other times too,
  especially to better-define its maximum. The shower is almost unobservable
  from the southern hemisphere, so northern watchers must brave the winter
  cold to improve our knowledge of it... The radiant is at a useful elevation
  from local midnight onwards."


Note the speed: 65 km/s. This is just 6 km/s slower than the speediest of
the studied showers, the Leonids - so the Coma Berenicids will seem very
fast (much faster than GEMs) and brighter COMs will often produce trains.

Also note that the ZHR is only 5: that means the theoretical MAXIMUM number
of meteors you would see from the COMs under pristine skies is a mere 7 or
so per hour! Of course normally, especially away from any "peak", observers
will see far fewer. Again, this is a shower which is worth studying because
it is SO LITTLE STUDIED, rather than because of any chance of high rates...

Clear skies, Stephanie, and welcome to "meteor fever"!

Lew


To UNSUBSCRIBE from the 'meteorobs' email list, use the Web form at:
http://www.tiacdot net/users/lewkaren/meteorobs/subscribe.html
Follow-Ups: References: