[meteorite-list] Meteors From Hermes?

From: Ron Baalke <baalke_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu Apr 22 10:28:35 2004
Message-ID: <200310270140.RAA25114_at_zagami.jpl.nasa.gov>

Forwarded from Robert Lunsford

On November 1, 2003, near 0930 Universal Time, the Earth will pass within
0.007 astronomical units from the orbit of rediscovered asteroid 1937 UB
Hermes. This particular time favors observers located in North and Central
America, where the radiant will be high in a dark sky. While chances for any
activity is remote, the skies should be monitored on that night for any
unusual activity. The radiant will be centered at 02:38 (039) +04, which is
located in northeastern Cetus, very close to the third magnitude star Gamma
Ceti. The radiant will be very large and will overlap the nearby Taurid
radiants. The possibility of Taurid meteors appearing as Cetids will be
quite high. On November 1, the center of the Taurid radiant will be located
five degrees southwest of the Pleiades star cluster. On this date an average
of five Taurid meteors are produced each hour. While the Taurid meteors are
slow, any activity from Hermes will be even slower. On that night (Oct
31/Nov 1) the first quarter moon will be located in the constellation of
Capricornus and will set near 2300 (11pm local standard time) allowing dark
skies for most observers.

Be sure to share your observations, either positive or negative, with me
(lunro.imo.usa_at_cox.net) and I will forward a summary to Sky & Telescope and
to interested meteor groups.

Clear Skies!

Robert Lunsford
American Meteor Society
International Meteor Organization
Received on Sun 26 Oct 2003 08:40:02 PM PST