Comet LINEAR 209p

  

209P/LINEAR is a periodic comet discovered on February 3, 2004 by Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research (LINEAR) using a 1.0-metre (39 in) reflector.[1] It was given the permanent number 209P on December 12,2008.

Preliminary results by Esko Lyytinen and Peter Jenniskens predict 209P/LINEAR may cause the next big meteor shower which would come from the constellation Camelopardalis during May 2014.[5] There may be 100 to 400 meteors per hour.[5] All the trails from the comet from 1803 through 1924 may intersect Earths orbit during May 2014

COMET LINEAR

While the Orionid meteor shower from Halley's Comet has our full attention this weekend, recent calculations made by meteor experts suggest there's a far-greater celestial fireworks display coming to in 2014.

In May 2014 there appears to be a reasonably good chance that a new, and very significant meteor shower, will take place. At the moment, conservative forecasts suggest anywhere from 100 to 400 meteors per hour may be seen, but the actual rate could peak much higher and potentially reach "meteor storm" levels (1,000 per hour!).

The progenitor of this possible display is comet 209P/LINEAR, a periodic comet discovered on Feb. 3, 2004, by the Lincoln Near-Earth Asteroid Research project (LINEAR) using a 1-meter (39 inches) reflector telescope. The comet was given the permanent number 209P on Dec. 12, 2008.

As comet’s go, 209P/LINEAR is small and intrinsically dim. It completes one trip around of the sun in about five years. The comet's aphelion distance (farthest point from the sun) extends out near the orbit of Jupiter and its orbit has been perturbed several times by the giant planet's gravitational pull over the past 200 years.

209P/LINEAR
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
209P/LINEAR Discovery
Discovered by     LINEAR
1.0-m reflector[1]
Discovery date     3 February 2004 (asteroidal)
30 March 2004 (tail)
Alternative
designations     2004 CB
Orbital characteristics A
Epoch     2014-May-23.0
(JD 2456800.5)[2]
Aphelion     4.952 AU (Q)
Perihelion     0.9694576 AU (q)
Semi-major axis     2.9609356 AU (a)
Eccentricity     0.6725840
Orbital period     5.09 yr
Inclination     21.24340°
Last perihelion     2009-Apr-15[3]
Next perihelion     2014-May-06[3]

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