No activity from Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 in 2001

Dust trails produced by Comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 near its perihelion passages may get close to the Earth and produce meteor activity. Computations of the evolution of such dust trails by H. Lüthen (Germany) showed an approach to the 1941 trail for May 30, 2001, 10h UT (solar longitude 69.04°). The encounter was not very close, and chances to see a meteor outburst were slim.

Several observers reported their results from visual and video monitoring in the nights of May 24 to May 30. Apart from very few possible shower members, no meteor activity from Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 was observed. Unfortunately, no report was received for the time after May 30, 12h UT.

  
  ----------------------------------------------  
  May Observer Time (UT) N ZHR  hR  
  2001     SW3  (app./true)  
  ----------------------------------------------  
  24 JOHCA 2154-2216 0 -  68/65  
   
  25 LANMA 2145-2245 1 1.5  68/64  
  25 TUKAR 2145-2245 0 -  68/64  
  25 JOHCA 2145-2305 1 1.2  67/63  
  25 TUKAR 2245-2345 0 -  63/59  
  25 LANMA 2246-0000 0 -  62/58  
  25 JOHCA 2305-0005 0 -  61/56  
  25 TUKAR 2345-0045 1 2.8  57/51  
  26 LANMA 0000-0112 0 -  54/48  
  26 JOHCA 0005-0105 0 -  54/48  
  26 TUKAR 0045-0115 0 -  52/45  
   
  29 STORO 2100-0130 1 (video observation)  
  29 MOLSI 2103-0215 0 (video observation)  
  29 BETFE 2200-0230 0 (video observation)  
  29 DECGO 2250-0020 0 -  60/55  
  29 VERCI 2258-0020 0 -  60/55  
  29 RENJU 2300-0036 0 -  55/49  
  30 ARLRA 0017-0100 0 -  49/41  
  30 TRIJO 0203-0305 0 -  39/30  
  30 LUNRO 0830-0933 0 -  54/44  
  30 LUNRO 0933-1035 0 -  40/31  
  30 HOLDA  casual 0 -  
  30 JENPE  casual 0 -  
  30 KOOMI  casual 0 -  
  30 LUNRO 1035-1138 0 -  30/18  
  ----------------------------------------------  
  

Solar longitudes refer to equinox J2000.0. The geocentric radiant position was assumed at alpha=212°, delta=+28°, the population index used was r=3.0. The radiant elevation is given as apparent and geocentric (true) values which differ strongly for a low-velocity shower such as the SW3-ids with an entry velocity of V_inf = 17 km/s.

It must thus be noted that shower association might be erroneous as the radiant does NOT APPEAR at alpha=212°, delta=+28° as given theoretically, due to zenithal attraction. The above values of hR (app./true) indicate differences of up to 10 degrees.

The following observers sent in their observations directly to the Visual Commission or communicated their results via the mailing list 'meteorobs@jovian.com'. We are very grateful for their quick contributions:

ARLRA Rainer Arlt (Germany), BETFE Felix Bettonvil (the Netherlands, VIDEO), DECGO Goedele Decononck (Belgium), HOLDA David Holman (USA), JENPE Peter Jenniskens (USA), JOHCA Carl Johannink (the Netherlands), KOOMI Mike Koop (USA), LANMA Marco Langbroek (the Netherlands), LUNRO Robert Lunsford (USA), MOLSI Sirko Molau (Germany, VIDEO), RENJU Jurgen Rendtel (Germany), STORO Rosta Stork (Czech Republic, VIDEO), TRIJO Josep M. Trigo-Rodriguez (Spain), TUKAR Arnold Tukkers (the Netherlands) and VERCI Cis Verbeeck (Belgium).