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Re: Coma Berenicids (was Re: (meteorobs) Okay Lew)
Dear Meteorobs...
Got a call from one of our local TV meteorologists this evening (Thursday
about 10:15pm EST) asking about a vertical column of light in the eastern
sky. I went out for a look...didn't see it due to the topography of my local
eastern horizon (50 foot Oak tree in neighbors yard). Called weather guy
back and told him nothing was up.
Later got an email message from my friend Chris Thomas who joins me often
for observing sessions, asking if I'd seen the above mentioned apparition.
He suspects a Moondog. Anybody else see this thing????
Regards,
Mark S. Williams
Louisville, KY
----- Original Message -----
From: Lew Gramer <dedalus@latrade.com>
To: Meteor Observing Mailing List <meteorobs@jovian.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 16, 1999 1:03 PM
Subject: 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
>
>
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