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Re: (meteorobs) What I think I know (and don't know) ...
In a message dated 8/25/01 1:43:20 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
dfischer@astro.uni-bonndot de writes:
<< The problem is that there has never been a
situation like in 2001 (or 2002) when the Earth is coming
rather close to certain dust trails, but several years after
the parent comet Tempel-Tuttle came by. >>
Actually . . . the trail that is expected to give rise to the meteor
storm over North America (from 1767) has apparently interacted with the Earth
before. In 1869, a Leonid display which may have produced a ZHR of 1,000 to
2,000 was witnessed by a "Dr. C. Meldrum" from the Island of Mauritius in the
Indian Ocean (it was Gary Kronk who discovered this observation in the
journal Nature). In November 1869, 55P/Tempel-Tuttle was 3 years and 9
months past perihelion, whereas in November 2001, the comet is 3 years and 8
months past perihelion. Thus . . . it appears that Leonid storms are still
quite possible with the comet well past perihelion.
-- joe rao
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