SETI public: Meteor Shower Reveals New NEO Comet

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http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=1233789

by Peter Jenniskens

SETI Institute scientist and meteor expert Peter Jenniskens reports in a
telegram issued by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet
Center
(http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=1233789) that an unexpected
burst of meteors on October 5, 2005 has occurred, which betrayed the
presence of
a thusfar unknown, potentially Earth-threatening, comet.

The burst of meteors radiated from a direction on the border of the
constellations Draco and Camelopardalis, and the new shower is called the
October Camelopardalids. The meteors were caused by dust ejected by an
Intermediate Long-Period comet during its previous return to the Sun, and
the
detection of the comet's dust trail implies that the comet itself could
wander
into Earth's path, if so directed by the gravitational pull of the planets.
The
comet itself has not yet been discovered and is likely to return to Earth's
vicinity only once every 200 - 10,000 years. Chances are very small that
Earth
will be at the intersection point at the time of the return, hence, there is
no
immediate concern. The dust, however, is forensic evidence that may provide
more
insight into the nature of this new comet when the meteor shower is seen
again
in the future.

2005 OCTOBER 5 OUTBURST OF OCTOBER CAMELOPARDALIDS

Peter Jenniskens, Jarmo Moilanen, Esko Lyytinen, Ilkka Yrjölä, Jeff Brower

http://www.seti.org/atf/cf/{B0D4BC0E-D59B-4CD0-9E79-113953A58644}/WGNreport.pdf

Abstract of the report in WGN: the Journal of the International Meteor
Organization

"Jarmo Moilanen (Finland), detected twelve meteors from a compact geocentric
radiant at R. A. = 164.1 ± 2.0º, Decl. = +78.9 ± 0.5º, on the border of
Draco
and Camelopardalis, in the evening of October 5, 2005. The differential mass
distribution index was a low s = 1.4 ± 0.2 (+0 to -6 magnitude). The new
shower
was confirmed by Esko Lyytinen (2 meteors, early period only, located at
25.00
E; +60.25 N) and Ilkka Yrjölä (4 meteors: 26.4 E, +60.9 N) at nearby
locations,
and by Sirko Molau in Germany (7 meteors). Esko Lyytinen calculated an
apparent
speed of Vg = 47.3 ± 0.5 km/s from one two-station meteor, close to the
parabolic limit. We conclude that the event was caused by the 1-revolution
dust
trail of a yet unidentified potentially Earth-threatening (Halley-type or)
Intermediate Long-Period comet with orbital elements similar to those of the
meteoroids: Epoch = 2005 October 05, a = Inf. (15 - Inf.) AU, q =
0.993±0.001
AU, w = 170.5±1º, W = 192.59±0.04º , and i = 79.3±0.5º (J2000.0)."

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