[meteorite-list] Quadrantids Meteor Shower; Asteroid 2001 YB5

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 09:55:39 2004
Message-ID: <200201030100.RAA22151_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Space Weather News for January 2, 2001
http://www.spaceweather.com

MYSTERY METEORS: Earth is about to enter a stream of dusty space debris
that gives rise each year to the Quadrantid meteor shower. In 2002 the
Quadrantids will peak during a few-hour period around 1800 UT (10 a.m.
PST) on Thursday, January 3rd. The shower peaks during daylight hours over
the Americas. Pre-dawn observers in Japan and other Asian countries around
the Pacific Rim will have the best view of the outburst. Early-evening sky
watchers in Europe might see it, too. This year's display will be
diminished by glare from the Moon. Nevertheless, well-placed spotters will
likely count a dozen or so bright meteors each hour during the shower's
maximum.

The Quadrantids are named after Quadrans Muralis, a 19th century
constellation no longer found in star atlases. The shower's radiant is in
the modern constellation Bootes. Like the extinct constellation Quadrans
Muralis, the cometary parent of the Quadrantid shower might also be
long-dead. Astronomers have searched for a comet that shares the orbit of
the Quadrantid debris stream, but found nothing. Perhaps it completely
disintegrated long ago or remains undiscovered.

NEAR-EARTH ASTEROID: A newly discovered near-Earth asteroid named 2001
YB5 will glide by our planet on January 7th, twice as far from Earth as
the Moon. The 300-meter wide space rock will brighten to 12th magnitude
this weekend, making it a promising target for backyard telescopes
equipped with CCD cameras.

Visit spaceweather.com for more information.
Received on Wed 02 Jan 2002 08:00:11 PM PST