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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 1858      2003 Feb 26 11.01UT
Ed:Guy M Hurst, 16,Westminster Close, Kempshott Rise,  Basingstoke,
Hants, RG22 4PP,England.Telephone/FAX(01256)471074Int:+441256471074
INTERNET: GUY@TAHQ.DEMON.CO.UK             GMH at AST.STAR.RL.AC.UK
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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POSSIBLE METEORS FROM COMET C/1976 D1
A report has recently appeared on IAUC 8079 from P. Jenniskens,
SETI Institute, Mountain View, CA, stating that calculations by E.
Lyytinen and himself (Icarus, in press) indicate that a one-
revolution dust trail of comet C/1976 D1 (Bradfield) will be in the
earth's path on 2003 Mar. 1.912 +/- 0.010 UT for an estimated
duration of 14 min (FWHM) with a peak rate of perhaps 300/hr.  The
trail passes just inside the earth's orbit at a distance of 0.00008
AU. The predicted radiant is at RA = 13 deg, Decl = -64 deg (2000),
and the apparent meteor velocity would be 42 km/s.

If any TA observers are suitably placed we would appreciate it if
you could monitor this possible event and send us reports, positive
or negative.

Guy M Hurst