* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: June Bootids

Blobrana · L

Meteor Shower Peaks Tonight; Best Chance to See Bootids

Tonight and tomorrow, sky-watchers may get an unusually good glimpse of the annual Bootid meteor shower, thanks to a late-night moonless sky.
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Blobrana · L

June Bootids Meteor shower

Blobrana · L

The second notable astronomical event is the annual June Bootid meteor shower which is expected to peak at around 10 pm, June 27. The shower comes from the debris spewed by Comet 7P.Pons-Winnecke, which orbits the Sun once every 6.37 years.

Title: The 2004 June Bootid meteor shower
Authors: Vaubaillon, J.; Arlt, R.1; Shanov, S.1; Dubrovski, S.1; Sato, M.2

The June Bootid meteor shower is known to show irregular activity. We report here the prediction and observations of the 2004 shower. The forecasts were independently performed by three different teams, who all concurred on a broad activity on June 23, though no estimate of the level was done prior to the event. Thanks to these predictions, observations around the world were conducted and gathered by the International Meteor Organisation. The broad activity (full width at half-maximum ~ 7 h) was observed, with a maximum occurring at 14:50 ± 60 minute. The level of the shower reached a zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of 30 ± 10 , for a population index of r= 2.49 ± 0.15 . Past showers are examined and new associations between the 1916 and 1998 showers and several trails from the early nineteenth century are made. An attempt to post-predict the values of the level of all these showers is discussed. New observations of comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke are needed when it returns in 2008.

Source

June Bootid meteor shower at peak (ZHR=var)

Active:	June 22 July 2
Maximum:	June 27; 20h00m UT ( = 95°7)
ZHR =	variable - 0100+
Radiant:	= 224°; = +48°
r =	2.2
v =	18 km/s
	95°7

Blobrana · L

"The June Bootids are usually a relatively minor shower but do occasionally produce good views. The period of activity can last several days, even into early July. Predictions are uncertain, but a good show this year is possible" - IU astronomy professor Caty Pilachowski.

Source

Blobrana · L

The Boötids meteor shower will peak on the 23rd June, 2010.
A near full Moon will interfere with observations.

Blobrana · L

Watch out for the June Bootids meteor shower tonight.
This year the shower is active between 26th June to the 2nd July with the maximum of activity which may fall on the 27th.
The meteors are quite slow with a velocity of only 18 km/s.
The shower's radiant is in the constellation Bootes (RA 14h 56m, Dec 48°).

The source of the June Bootids is comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke, which has an orbital period of 6.37 years. The comet last visited the inner solar system in September 2008.
This year a waxing crescent moon will be favourable to observers.

Blobrana · L

This shower is currently active during June 27 to July 5 and possesses a maximum of activity that falls on the 28th.
The June Bootids have an hourly rate between 3 and 100. The stream is noted for an especially strong display in 1916, and good displays in 1921 and 1927.
A 65% illuminated Moon will offer a lot of interference for the June Bootids in 2005; especially since its meteors are primarily faint, with an average magnitude near 5, however, bright meteors do occur regularly.

At maximum the radiant is located at RA=233.7 deg, Dec=+52.2 deg.

It is worth watching out for, just in case there is a strong display this year.

The other `main` shower this month was the June Lyrids.
This shower was active during June 10 - 21, producing predominantly blue and white meteors at a maximum hourly rate of only 8 per hour on June 15 (Solar Longitude=84.5 deg).
At maximum the radiant is located at RA=278 deg, Dec=+35 deg. The average observed magnitude of this shower is near 3, while about 32% of the meteors leave trains.