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(meteorobs) Meteor showers from non-periodic comets (Was Re: New Meteor Showers)
Kevin, there's always a CHANCE that a non-periodic comet may produce a meteoroid
stream that intersects Earth's orbit. I'm not sure any such stream has actually
ever BEEN identified with an observable shower, but there may have been some
historical showers associated with a long-periodic comet. Gary Kronk would
probably be the best person to answer that one - any help, Gary?
>Also, does anyone know how "old" the less-know (or least observed) showers
>are, since there is not that much information on them, compared to the
>Leonids, Geminids, etc.?
First, my understanding (from hearsay) is that no meteoroid stream would
remain detectable more than 10,000 years after the parent body had passed.
This is probably a singificant OVERestimate, but at least gives an upper
bound: for a lower bound, keep in mind that Rob McNaught and Dr. Asher's
predictions for the 1999 Leonids were based on a stream of material that
was ejected by Comet Tempel-Tuttle about 100 years ago... Of course, had
our orbit and the comet's actually INTERSECTED, this number might've been
even less - but still probably never ZERO years, as it takes considerable
time for cometary debris to distribute itself away from the parent.
Clear skies!
Lew
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