9,504 research outputs found
1I/2017 U1 (`Oumuamua) is Hot: Imaging, Spectroscopy and Search of Meteor Activity
1I/2017 U1 (`Oumuamua), a recently discovered asteroid in a hyperbolic orbit,
is likely the first macroscopic object of extrasolar origin identified in the
solar system. Here, we present imaging and spectroscopic observations of
\textquoteleft Oumuamua using the Palomar Hale Telescope as well as a search of
meteor activity potentially linked to this object using the Canadian Meteor
Orbit Radar. We find that \textquoteleft Oumuamua exhibits a moderate spectral
gradient of , a value significantly lower
than that of outer solar system bodies, indicative of a formation and/or
previous residence in a warmer environment. Imaging observation and spectral
line analysis show no evidence that \textquoteleft Oumuamua is presently
active. Negative meteor observation is as expected, since ejection driven by
sublimation of commonly-known cometary species such as CO requires an extreme
ejection speed of m s at au in order to reach the
Earth. No obvious candidate stars are proposed as the point of origin for
\textquoteleft Oumuamua. Given a mean free path of ly in the solar
neighborhood, \textquoteleft Oumuamua has likely spent a very long time in the
interstellar space before encountering the solar system.Comment: ApJL in pres
The return of the Andromedids meteor shower
The Andromedid meteor shower underwent spectacular outbursts in 1872 and
1885, producing thousands of visual meteors per hour and described as `stars
fell like rain' in Chinese records of the time. The shower originates from
comet 3D/Biela whose disintegration in the mid-1800's is linked to the
outbursts, but the shower has been weak or absent since the late 19th Century.
This shower returned in December 2011 with a zenithal hourly rate of
approximately 50, the strongest return in over a hundred years. Some 122
probable Andromedid orbits were detected by the Canadian Meteor Orbit Radar.
The shower outburst occurred during 2011 Dec 3-5. The radiant at RA
+ and Dec + is typical of the `classical' Andromedids of
the early 1800's, whose radiant was actually in Cassiopeia. The orbital
elements indicate that the material involved was released before 3D/Biela's
breakup prior to 1846. The observed shower in 2011 had a slow geocentric speed
(16 km s) and was comprised of small particles: the mean measured mass
from the radar is kg corresponding to radii of 0.5 mm at
a bulk density of 1000 kg/m.
Numerical simulations of the parent comet indicate that the meteoroids of the
2011 return of the Andromedids shower were primarily ejected during 3D/Biela's
1649 perihelion passage. The orbital characteristics, radiant, timing as well
as the absence of large particles in the streamlet are all consistent with
simulations. Predictions are made regarding other appearances of the shower in
the years 2000-2047 based on our numerical model. We note that the details of
the 2011 return can, in principle, be used to better constrain the orbit of
3D/Biela prior to the comets first recorded return in 1772.Comment: submitted to the Astronomical Journal Sep 22 201
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