209P/LINEAR

Observational history

The comet discovered on 3 February 2004 by Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) using a 1.0 m reflector. Initially it was observed without a coma and named 2004 CB as a minor planet or asteroid, but in March 2004 Robert H. McNaught observed a comet tail which confirmed it as a comet. It was given the permanent number 209P on 12 December 2008 as it was the second observed appearance of the comet. Prediscovery images of the comet, dating back to December 2003, were found during 2009.

209P/LINEAR came to perihelion (closest approach to the Sun) on 6 May 2014. On 29 May 2014 the comet passed 0.0554 AU from Earth, The comet also had very low water production, mol/s, from an active area measuring just 0.007 km2.

209P/LINEAR was recovered on 31 December 2018 at magnitude 19.2 by Hidetaka Sato.

Associated meteor showers

Preliminary results by Esko Lyytinen and Peter Jenniskens, later confirmed by other researchers, predicted 209P/LINEAR might a big meteor shower which would come from the constellation Camelopardalis on the night of 23/24 May 2014. It was possible that there could be 100 to 400 meteors per hour. All the trails from the comet from 1803 through 1924 were expected to intersect Earth's orbit during May 2014. The peak activity was expected to occur around 24 May 2014 7h UT when dust trails produced from past returns of the comet could pass 0.0002 AU from Earth. The 2014 Camelopardalids only generated 10–15 visual meteors per hour. But the expected radiant and date of visual maximum were correctly predicted. The shower peaked around 6h UT on 24 May 2014. The Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar (CMOR) detected the shower using HF/VHF radar echos but the particles were too small for visual detection. Earth encountered the 1939 stream around 24 May 2019 8h UT with a ZHR of ~5. The Eta Aquariids also occur at this time of year.

The comet has also being suggested to be the parent body of the lambda Draconids, which is active from April 24 to June 4, and peaks around May 12. However it is possible that it is the same shower as the Camelopardalids.

209P/LINEAR may also be the source of the weak 6–14 June meteor shower "sigma Ursae Majorids" (SIM #677).

References

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|author-link=Syuichi Nakano |access-date=2012-10-03}}

|access-date=2012-10-03}} (password required)

|access-date = 2012-10-03 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121006013453/http://www.imcce.fr/langues/en/ephemerides/phenomenes/meteor/DATABASE/209_LINEAR/2014/index.php |archive-date = 2012-10-06 |url-status = dead

|access-date = 2014-04-13 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140414185802/http://feraj.narod.ru/Radiants/Predictions/209p-ids2014eng.html |archive-date = 2014-04-14 |url-status = dead

|access-date=2012-10-03}}

|author-link=Alan Hale (astronomer) |access-date=2012-10-03}}

|author-link = Gary W. Kronk |access-date = 2014-05-03 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140503132812/http://cometography.com/pcomets/209p.html |archive-date = 2014-05-03 |url-status = dead

|doi-access=free

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140525200210/http://www.imo.net/camelopardalids2014-results |url-status = dead |archive-date = 2014-05-25 |access-date = 2014-05-25

|author-link=Peter Jenniskens |access-date=2014-05-25}}

|access-date=2014-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529224633/http://www.usra.edu/news/pr/2014/comet209PLINEAR/ |archive-date=2014-05-29 |url-status=dead

References

1. (1 November 2014). "Radar images of Comet 209P/LINEAR: Constraints on shape and rotation". AAS/Division for Planetary Sciences Meeting Abstracts.
2. "Comets Waiting for First Observation".
3. (2014-05-24). "Camelopardalids meteor shower a bust, but not a surprise". The Washington Post.
4. "Meteor Activity Outlook for May 24–30, 2014".
5. (1 April 2014). "New showers from parent body search across several video meteor databases". WGN, Journal of the International Meteor Organization.