Potential New Meteor Shower from Comet C/2015 D4 (Borisov)
Abstract
P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute and NASA Ames Research Center; and E. Lyytinen, Helsinki, Finland, provide the following update on expected meteor activity from long-period comet C/2015 D4, now that an improved comet orbit is available (cf. CBET 4127). Based on an orbit for C/2015 D4 calculated by G. V. Williams from 43 observations spanning 2015 Feb. 23-Oct. 15 (cf. MPEC 2015-U54), the position of the one-revolution dust trail was calculated for the period 1996-2070. Results show that the dust trail will be in the earth's path on 2017 July 29d00h22m UT (solar longitude 125.858 deg), when the earth passes the center of the trail at a relative distance of only r - Delta = +0.0006 AU; the earth will thus pass inside the comet's orbit at a time when the comet has just passed perihelion, both favorable circumstances for detecting meteors. Meteors are expected from geocentric R.A. = 79 deg, Decl. = -32 deg, with geocentric velocity 45.9 km/s.
- Publication:
-
Central Bureau Electronic Telegrams
- Pub Date:
- June 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017CBET.4403....1J