[IAUC] CBET 1055: 20070910 : KAPPA CYGNIDS 2007

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                                                  Electronic Telegram No. 1055
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
M.S. 18, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
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KAPPA CYGNIDS 2007
     P. Jenniskens, SETI Institute, notes that unusual rates of bright
kappa Cygnid meteors were reported by numerous observers in the period
Aug. 10-19.  Many kappa Cygnids exhibited irregular light curves and
end flares.  The bright meteors were recorded by the Spanish Meteor Network
(see report by Trigo-Rodriguez et al., below).  Around Aug. 13d00h UT,
K. Miskotte and C. Johannink, Dutch Meteor Society (DMS), calculated that
the kappa Cygnid rate was about ZHR = 5 meteors per hour but noticed
unusually bright meteors; they photographed a kappa Cygnid of magnitude -6
from near Grevesmuehlen, Germany.  Activity stretched out for several days.
Bright kappa Cygnids were noticed previously in 1978, 1985, 1993, and 1999
(the 1993 event is detailed in Chapter 24 of Jenniskens 2006, *Meteor Showers
and their Parent Comets*, Cambridge University Press).  On Aug. 17d03h57m
UT, P. Martsching (observing from Story County, IA, U.S.A.) witnessed an
orange-then-white kappa Cygnid of mag -5, and a -4 kappa Cygnid of mag -4
at Aug. 17d05h49m.  On Aug. 18d21h27m50s, S. Dijkstra (DMS) photographed a
white-yellow kappa Cygnid of mag -8 with a persistent train that lasted
minutes.  On Aug. 19d21h38m, Miskotte recorded a kappa Cygnid of mag -4.

     J. M. Trigo-Rodriguez, Institut d'Estudis Espacials de Catalunya,
Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Bellaterra (Barcelona);
J. M. Madiedo, University of Huelva; and A. J. Castro-Tirado and S. Vitek,
Instituto de Astrofisica de Andalucia, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones
Cientificas, report that unusual activity of bright kappa-Cygnid meteors
was recorded by the all-sky CCD and video cameras of the Spanish Meteor
Network under dark skies, mainly during the nights of Aug. 12-13 and
13-14, but bright fireballs were also reported during the activity period
of this minor shower.  According to the data obtained at Catalonia and
Andalusia, this unusual activity peaked around Aug. 13d00h (solar longitude
139.80 deg) with ZHR = 19 +/- 4 (magnitude distribution index chi = 1.6 +/-
0.5).  The apparent radiant was located at R.A. = 292 +/- 2 deg, Decl. =
+58 +/- 1 deg, on the basis of ten single-station meteors that appeared
near the radiant.  Additional clues on the origin of this activity will be
obtained when the double-station meteors are processed.  An extraordinary
fireball of absolute mag -9 was imaged from Madrid by J. Izquierdo and J.
Zamorano (Universidad Autonoma de Madrid) on Aug. 13d4h14m55s +/- 8s
UT.  B. Troughton (Sociedad Malaguena de Astronomia) also reported enhanced
fireball activity imaged using all-sky cameras operated from Malaga.
Activity during other nights was below normal levels, but with a
background of bright fireballs, many of which exhibited flares and
reactivation in the last phases of their luminous paths, suggesting
weak and relatively young cometary material.


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                         (C) Copyright 2007 CBAT
2007 September 10                (CBET 1055)              Daniel W. E. Green