Press Release
Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute
Astronomers at the Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute (PARI) alert the public to the possibility of a new meteor shower in late May.
Meteors result from particles of dust causing the atmosphere to glow as the particles enter the upper atmosphere of the Earth. The origins of most meteor showers are associated with comets although a couple are associated with asteroids. As this body revolves around the sun, it gives off gases and dust particles due to the heat of the Sun. While the gases eventually are dispersed throughout space, the dust particles remain as a trail of debris in the path of the comet long after the comet has gone. Occasionally, astronomers become aware of new meteor showers that can be traced back to the particles left by a previously unknown comet or asteroid or one that was not known to have its particles pass near the Earth and thus cause a meteor shower. The latter is the case of a predicted new meteor shower on the morning of May 24.
In 2004 a comet named 209P/LINEAR was discovered. The “P” means it is a periodic comet, one that comes back periodically. The last time this comet came through the inner solar system was in 2009 and studies show it had also been near the sun in 1803 and 1924. What is exciting about this comet is that the dust it left behind in those years will be impacting the atmosphere of the Earth early the morning of May 24. This should produce a meteor shower not previously recognized. Studies of the comet in 2009 give us an estimate of a very high rate of perhaps 200 meteors per hour. However, reports hedge their bets and say it may be much less, or perhaps even higher than 1000 per hour, truly a meteor storm. And this shower may favor bright meteors. Peak activity should be about 3 a.m. EDT. Look for the meteors radiating out of the constellation of Camelopardalis the giraffe, low in the north beneath the North Star.
About PARI
PARI is a not-for-profit public foundation established in 1998. Located in the Pisgah National Forest southwest of Asheville, NC, PARI offers educational programs at all levels, from K-12 through post-graduate research. For more information about PARI and its programs, visit www.pari.edu. Follow PARI on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Astronomy_PARI. “Like” PARI on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Pisgah.Astronomical.Research.Institute.
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