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(meteorobs) One Mere Quadrantid and NAMN Notes January 2004!
Happy New Year Greetings To All! I did manage to take a peek at the sky
this morning between 0945-1000 UT and observed little activity (Saw 1 4th
magnitude Quadrantid and 1 4th magnitude Sporadic). Limiting magnitude
was decent enough (6.0) to detect any significant meteor activity, in
spite of some haze around the horizons and some isolated cirrus clouds.
Will try again just before moon set on the morning of 04 January, should
it be clear. Right now it does not look very promising. Hope that the
rest of You have better results than what it is looking like here in
Central Virginia!!
In Astronomical Affinity - Felix A. Martinez
On Sat, 3 Jan 2004 06:06:57 -0500 "Mark Davis" <meteors@comcastdot net>
writes:
> **************************
> NAMN Notes: January 2004
> **************************
>
> Introduction:
> NAMN Notes is a monthly newsletter produced by the North American
> Meteor
> Network, and is available both via email and on the NAMN website
> at:
> http://www.namnmeteors.org
>
>
> Contents:
>
> 1. Happy New Year!...
> 2. The Quadrantids - Views and News...
> 3. Other January Meteor Activity...
> 4. Index to 2003 NAMN Notes...
> 5. Upcoming Meetings...
> 6. For more info...
>
>
> 1. Happy New Year!...
>
> The North American Meteor Network wishes you all a Happy New Year!
> We hope that 2004 will bring you all clear skies, dark nights, and
> lots of
> meteors!
>
> Throughout the year, we will try to keep you well-informed about the
> meteor
> showers that are visible in your skies and other news that we think
> you will
> be interested in. We will also try to provide interesting links to
> further
> reading, so you can learn more about the particular topics that
> interest you
> most.
>
> For a excellent overview of the meteor activity for 2004, the best
> information source is the IMO 2004 Meteor Shower Calendar, published
> by the
> International Meteor Organization. It is available free of charge
> online at
> http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal04.html. It is also available in
> French,
> Russian, Spanish and Slovak at http://www.imodot net
>
> For a great bimonthly publication on meteors, with excellent
> articles on
> meteor studies, history, and observing projects being carried out
> around the
> globe, consider membership in the IMO. Membership costs $20 U.S.
> for
> regular membership, with newsletter by surface mail. Send check or
> money
> order payable to "Mr. Robert Lunsford" to Mr. Robert Lunsford, IMO
> Secretary-General, 161 Vance Street, Chula Vista, CA 91910, U.S.A.
> More
> info can be found at http://www.imodot net.
>
> If you are new to meteor observing, check out some of the following
> websites
> for some great reading:
>
> For learning the sky, the Hawaiian Astronomical Society's
> 'Constellations - Stories and a Deepsky Atlas' :
> http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/index.html
>
> For learning about meteors and the whole solar system,
> 'The Nine Planets, by Bill Arnett' :
> http://www.seds.org/nineplanets/nineplanets/nineplanets.html
>
> For learning how to record meteors, our NAMN Observing Guide:
> http://www.namnmeteors.org/guide.html
>
> For learning more about meteors and their parent bodies,
> 'Comets and Meteor Showers, by Gary Kronk':
> http://comets.amsmeteors.org
>
> For learning about other types of moving objects in our skies,
> 'Heavens Above':
> http://www.heavens-above.com
>
> Have questions on meteors and observing? Drop a note to our
> friendly NAMN
> Coordinator, Mark Davis at meteors@comcastdot net
>
> This coming year promises to be a busy one for meteor observers on
> both
> sides of the globe. Besides our major meteor showers, there are
> many minor
> showers in need of observation. The meteor researchers welcome all
> data!
> As Lew Gramer, our Public Outreach Coordinator, once commented - you
> might
> be the only person in the whole world out observing on a particular
> night -
> so your observations are very valuable!
>
> The International Meteor Conference (IMC) of the International
> Meteor
> Organization is being held this year in Varna, Bulgaria from
> September 23rd
> to 26th. This is the worldwide meeting for amateur meteor observers
> and
> professionals alike. On the North American side, the Meteoroids
> 2004
> conference will be held in London, Ontario, Canada from August 16th
> to 21st.
> This is a professional meeting, but serious amateurs should check
> out the
> details. Details are in our 'Upcoming Meetings' section.
>
> Whatever your meteor interests are, we at NAMN wish you all the best
> for
> this coming year - Happy 2004!
>
>
> 2. The Quadrantids - Views and News...
>
> The Quadrantids (QUA) are the first major shower of 2004 - and hold
> special
> interest this year! For North American observers, the narrow period
> of
> maximum activity actually falls at night!
>
> These meteors can be seen from about January 1st to 5th, but reach a
> maximum
> on January 4th at about 6h UT for visual observers, according to
> the
> International Meteor Organization (IMO). It is a sharp maximum -
> so
> geographic location plays a role in the rates you will see. ZHR
> rates at
> maximum - and only for a handful of hours - are about 120 meteors
> per hour.
> That is the number of meteors that an observer would expect to see
> if they
> were out under a dark country sky, and if the radiant, the area in
> the sky
> where the meteors seem to come from, is directly overhead. Note
> that. Will
> we have a dark sky? There will be a moon - so rates will not be
> optimum.
> Try to face away from the moon so you don't destroy your night
> vision - or
> block the moon with a tree or some obstruction.
>
> The Quadrantids are average velocity meteors at about 41 km per
> second.
> The radiant at maximum will be at 230 degrees, ie. RA 15h 19.8m, Dec
> +49,
> which is in northern Bootes. A map can be found at
> http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal03.html#Quadrantids
>
> For observers interested in recording data on the Quadrantids for
> the meteor
> researchers, take a look at the NAMN Observing Guide at
> http://www.namnmeteors.org/guide.html. The information to record
> while
> observing includes such items as the time the meteor occurred, its
> magnitude
> (brightness), the shower it belongs to, its speed, and other
> comments such
> as train left behind or color. General information to record
> includes such
> things as how dark your perceived sky is (limiting magnitude) and
> comments
> on weather and cloud cover. Forms to record your observations can
> be found
> at http://www.namnmeteors.org/namn_form.html and
> http://www.namnmeteors.org/appendixC.html.
>
> A set of 4 star maps that you can use while observing - to mark the
> radiant
> on, and with magnitudes of standard stars marked - can be printed
> off from
> our website at http://www.namnmeteors.org/charts.html. Questions on
> what to
> record, or how, can be sent to our NAMN Coordinator at
> meteors@comcastdot net.
>
> News flash: So, what is this news on the Quadrantids?
>
> The International Astronomical Union (IAU) has recently issued a
> Circular through their Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams -
> with news
> on the parent body for the Quadrantid meteor shower. According to
> the
> Circular, Peter Jenniskens of the NASA Ames Research Center has
> announced
> that "2003 EH_1... would seem to be a very strong candidate for the
> parent
> of the Quadrantid meteor stream". It states that "the current
> theoretical
> radiant for 2003 EH_1... is at the center of the Quadrantid
> radiants
> measured by photographic means, the narrow dispersion implying a
> young
> (about 500 years) shower age. From that dispersion, Jenniskens et
> al....
> suspected that the parent was still among the meteoroids, hiding as
> a minor
> planet". The Circular states that "further light could be shed on
> the
> problem by the recognition of precovery and/or recovery observations
> of 2003
> EH_1, which is presumably a comet and that should in any case be
> considered
> a high-priority object for further study". More details are
> available at
> http://leonid.arc.nasadot gov/IAUCircular2003Dec8.txt
>
> The San Jose Astronomical Association (SJAA) has an article by
> Peter
> Jenniskens which gives more detail. Jenniskens writes (quoted from
> http://ephemeris.sjaadot net/0401/e.html):
>
> "Our fellow observers of the Dutch Meteor Society stumbled on a
> clear night
> on 1995 January 03, with no disturbing Moon light. This rare
> occasion led
> to a rich harvest in multi-station photographed and video orbits,
> which were
> reduced by Hans Betlem and Marc de Lignie. I analyzed those results
> to find
> that all good trajectories clustered near the same radiant and
> speed,
> implying that this is a very young shower, no older than about 500
> years.
> In our paper, published in Astronomy Astrophysics in 1997, I
> predicted that
> the comet was still among the meteoroids and now hidden from plain
> view by
> ceasing to be active and looking like a mere asteroid."
>
> "... I came across my 1997 writings and decided to check the catalog
> of
> asteroid orbits again to see if a near-Earth asteroid had been found
> in an
> orbit close to that of the Quadrantids. To my great excitement,
> there was."
>
> "I suspect that the shower was created during a breakup... Comet
> breakups
> can occur quite silently, but this one may have had a record.
> Ishiro
> Hasegawa calculated a parabolic orbit for comet C1490 Y1 from
> observations
> made in China, Korea and Japan between Dec 31.5, 1490 and Feb. 12.5,
> 1491,
> and pointed out the similarity with the orbit of the Quadrantids...
> Williams and Wu... proposed that a close encounter with Jupiter in
> 1650
> ejected this bright comet into a much different orbit (leaving the
> Quadrantid shower in place), in order to explain that the comet has
> not been
> observed since."
>
> Jenniskens sums up with "we can not exclude that C/1490 Y1 was a
> prior
> sighting of the Quadrantid parent at the epoch when it created the
> shower".
>
> All meteor observers are encouraged to get out and take a look at
> the
> Quadrantid meteor shower. This is a great example of meteor data
> recorded
> by serious amateurs being used by the professionals to gain
> valuable
> information on the source of the meteors we see!
>
>
> 3. Other January Meteor Activity...
>
> The Coma Berenicids (COM) reached maximum on December 20th but last
> until about January 23rd. The radiant at maximum was at 175
> degrees, ie. RA 11h 40.2m, Dec +25, which was about 10 degrees north
> of the
> bright star Denebola in the triangle of Leo. Radiants do move over
> time
> though! To see the radiant movement throughout January, check out
> the map
> at http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal03.html#Coma-Berenicids. These
> are fast
> meteors at about 65 km per second. ZHR rates were about 5 meteors
> per hour
> at maximum, but will be lower this month.
>
> The delta Cancrids (DCA) reach a maximum on January 17th but can be
> seen
> from about January 1st to 24th. These are slow meteors with a
> velocity of
> about 28 km per second. ZHR rates at maximum will be about 4
> meteors per
> hour. The radiant at maximum will be at 130 degrees, ie. RA 8h
> 40.2m, Dec
> +20, which is about the same location as the star cluster known as
> M44, the
> Beehive Cluster. This cluster appears as a fuzzy patch with the
> unaided
> eye, and is just past the halfway point on a line between Regulus in
> Leo and
> Pollux in Gemini. A map showing the movement of the radiant
> throughout
> January can be found at
> http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal04.html#delta-Cancrids The IMO
> states
> that "this minor shower of predominantly faint meteors is
> well-suited to
> telescopic observations, with a large, complex, diffuse radiant
> that
> probably consists of several sub-centers. Visual observers should
> assume
> a minimum radiant size of roughly 20 degrees in alpha by 10 degrees
> in
> delta about the radiant point given above. This type of large,
> loose
> radiant area is similar to the Virginids, and the delta-Cancrids
> are
> probably an early part of the Virginid activity... Recent
> observations
> have suggested the peak may occur close to... January 11."
>
> The alpha Centaurids (ACE) start to become active about January
> 28th,
> although won't reach a maximum until February 8th. These are
> average
> velocity meteors at about 56 km per second. ZHR rates at maximum
> will be
> about 6 meteors per hour, but rates in January will be lower. A map
> showing
> the radiant can be found at
> http://www.imodot net/calendar/cal02.html#alpha-Centaurids. This is
> primarily
> a southern hemisphere shower - but one which can produce fireballs
> and
> outbursts.
>
> The Virginids (VIR) start to become active about January 25th and
> will last
> until about April 15th. These are almost slow meteors at about 30
> km per
> second. ZHR rates are about 5 meteors per hour. On January 30th,
> the
> radiant will be at 157 degrees, ie. RA 10h 28.2m, Dec +16, which is
> about 6
> degrees up to the left of Regulus in Leo on a star atlas.
>
> For information on daytime meteor showers, mainly of interest to
> radio
> observers, check out the IMO website at http://www.imodot net
>
> Besides recognized main showers and other minor showers, there is
> also
> sporadic meteor activity in January. This sporadic activity is
> about 7
> meteors per hour visible to the unaided eye. This activity is
> comprised
> partly of random meteors and partly of meteors that belong to
> long-ago, now
> untraceable showers.
>
> This month, the phases of the moon are as follows:
> Wed. Jan. 7 full moon
> Thurs. Jan. 15 last quarter
> Wed. Jan. 21 new moon
> Thurs. Jan. 29 first quarter
>
> Planets at midmonth, and their magnitudes, for northern observers,
> are:
> Mercury 0.0 very low in southeast in morning sky
> Venus -4.0 very low in southwest in evening sky
> Mars 0.4 in Pisces
> Jupiter -2.3 in Leo
> Saturn -0.4 in Gemini
>
> The planets are very good standards for estimating the magnitude of
> bright
> meteors. For a map showing the planets' positions in your sky, go
> to
> http://www.heavens-above.com and Select your location, then go to
> 'Whole
> Sky Chart'.
>
>
> 4. Index to 2003 NAMN Notes...
>
> The following is an index to articles in NAMN Notes for 2003. The
> issues can be found in the MeteorObs archives at
> http://www.meteorobs.org
> by selecting 'Browse Archive by Month'.
>
> January 2003
> Quadrantids...
> A Comet to Start the New Year...
> Other January Showers...
> Index to 2002 NAMN Notes...
>
> February 2003
> Memories of Columbia...
> February Meteor Showers...
> Another Comet for Winter Observers...
> Winter Reading for Cold Nights...
>
> March 2003
> March Meteor Showers...
> Websites for Cold Winter Nights...
>
> April 2003
> Spring Brings the Lyrids...
> Other April Meteor Showers...
>
> May 2003
> Eta-Aquarids - Debris from Halley's Comet...
> Other May Meteor Showers...
> International Astronomy Day...
>
> June 2003
> Meteors from the Mythical Bootes...
> Other June Meteor Showers...
> NAMN Brochure and Handouts...
> IMO, the International Meteor Organization...
>
> July 2003
> The South Delta Aquarids...
> The Other Aquarids...
> Other Meteor Showers of July...
>
> August 2003
> August 2003 - My 60th Issue!... by C.L. Hall
> Perseids, the 'Shower of the Summer'...
> The Aquarid Complex in August...
> Lots of Other August Activity...
>
> September 2003
> The Alpha-Aurigids...
> The Aries-Triangulid Meteors... by George Gliba
> Other September Meteor Activity...
> Pro-Am Cooperation for Comet Observers...
>
> October 2003
> Orionids - from Halley's Comet...
> Draconids - from Comet Giacobini-Zinner...
> Other October Meteor Activity...
>
> November 2003
> Leonids - Debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle...
> Alpha Monocerotids to Monitor...
> Other November Meteor Activity...
> The Comet Connection...
>
> December 2003
> Geminids - Debris from an Asteroid...
> Other December Activity...
> Christmas Ideas for Meteor Observers...
>
>
> 5. Upcoming Meetings...
>
> June 4-6, 2004, Paris, France...
> IWCA III, the Third International Workshop on Cometary Astronomy,
> will be
> held at the Meudon and Paris Observatories in Paris, France.
> The workshop announcement states that "its main objective is to
> promote
> cometary observations among amateur astronomers and optimize the
> benefit of
> these observations for the use by professional astronomers... it
> shall be
> an opportunity for amateurs to meet professionals and exchange about
> their
> techniques". Topics to be discussed include comet photometry,
> outgassing
> rates, imaging with filters and spectroscopy, astrometry,
> observation of
> trans-neptunians by amateurs, discovery and automatic sky surveys,
> space
> missions to comets, and internet tools. Information can be found
> at http://www2.iap.fr/saf/IWCAIII. The contact for information is
> Nicholas Biver, nicolas.biver@obspm.fr. There is some financial
> support
> available for participants from eastern Europe or other countries
> with
> limited financial resources. The workshop has been timed to
> coincide with
> the transit of Venus on June 8th, visible from France.
>
> August 16-21, 2004, London, Ontario, Canada...
> Meteoroids 2004 will be held in eastern Canada, at the University of
> Western
> Ontario in London. Experimental and observational methods discussed
> will
> include optical observations of meteors including ground-based
> visual,
> photographic, video, and telescopic techniques, satellite
> observations of
> meteors in various passbands, measurements of meteoric atoms in the
> atmosphere by lidars and other techniques, acoustic measurements
> using
> infrasound and seismic detection techniques, radio detection of
> meteors
> including VLF and ELF, meteor and large aperture radar observations,
> and
> observations, in-situ satellite and laboratory measurements of dust
> and
> meteorite material. Scientific areas discussed will include such
> topics as
> dynamics of sporadic, shower and interstellar meteoroids, physics
> and
> chemistry of meteoroids and their interaction processes in the
> atmosphere,
> fireball and bolide phenomenology, mineralogy of extraterrestrial
> materials,
> hypervelocity impacts on spacecraft, meteoroid models and flux, and
> interrelation of meteoroids, meteorites, IDP's, asteroids and
> comets. To
> receive further announcements directly on this, email
> meteoroids2004@uwodot ca.
> The website for the conference is at
> http://www.uwodot ca/meteoroids2004
>
> September 23-26, 2004, Varna, Bulgaria...
> The International Meteor Conference (IMC) of the International
> Meteor
> Organization is being held this year in Varna, Bulgaria. This is
> the
> worldwide meeting for meteor observers - both amateurs and
> professionals
> alike. It is a great opportunity to meet observers from around the
> globe
> and learn about research and projects being carried out. Details
> will
> be posted on the IMO website at http://www.imodot net
>
> For more information on upcoming astronomy meetings, see:
> "International
> Astronomy Meetings List" at http://cadcwww.hia.nrcdot ca/meetings
>
>
> 6. For more info...
>
> NAMN email: namn@atmob.org
> NAMN website: http://www.namnmeteors.org
>
> Mark Davis, meteors@comcastdot net
> Goose Creek, South Carolina, USA
> Coordinator, North American Meteor Network
>
> Cathy Hall, chall@cyberusdot ca
> Metcalfe, Ontario, Canada
> Writer, NAMN Notes
>
> Lew Gramer, dedalus@alum.mitdot edu
> Medford, Massachusetts, USA
> Coordinator, Public Outreach
> Owner/Moderator, 'MeteorObs'
>
> Kevin Kilkenny, namnfireball@earthlinkdot net
> Staten Island, New York, USA
> Coordinator, Fireballs and Meteorites
>
> Back issues of NAMN Notes can be found online at the NAMN website
> and in
> the MeteorObs archives at:
> http://www.meteorobs.org by selecting 'Browse Archive by Month'
>
> To subscribe to the meteor email list:
> Contact Lew Gramer at: dedalus@alum.mitdot edu
>
> ==============================================
> Here's to 'Clear Skies' for January...
>
> January 2004 NAMN Notes
> written by Cathy Hall & edited by Mark Davis
> ==============================================
>
>
>
>
>
>
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