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THE ASTRONOMER Electronic Circular No 2682      2010 Oct 28 13.45UT
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      Backup: gmh@wdcc1.bnsc.rl.ac.uk
WORLD WIDE WEB                         http://www.theastronomer.org
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COMET 103P/HARTLEY 2
On 2010 Oct 16, a pair of NASA all-sky cameras recorded an unusual 
fireball streaking across the night sky over Alabama and Georgia. It was 
bright, slow, and was strangely similar to a fireball that passed over 
eastern Canada less than five hours earlier. The Canadian fireball was 
recorded by another set of all-sky cameras operated by the University of 
Western Ontario. Because the fireballs were recorded by multiple 
cameras, it was possible to triangulate their positions and back track 
their orbits before they hit Earth. This showed the orbits of the two 
fireballs were very similar according to Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid 
Environment Office as if they came from a common parent.

A possible candidate only 11 million miles away is Comet 103P/Hartley 2 
and it turns out that the orbits of the two fireballs were not only 
similar to one another, but also roughly similar to the orbit of the 
comet. Moreover, meteoroids from Comet Hartley would be expected to hit 
Earth's atmosphere at a relatively slow speed--just like the two 
fireballs did although this may be all a coincidence.

Cooke recommends observations each night, especially on Nov 2 and Nov 3 
for a possible meteor shower linked to the comet. Such a shower may have 
a radiant in Cygnus and fortunately lunar interference should not 
present a problem in early evening observations.

Though the chances are slim, the NASA team would welcome support from 
amateur astronomers and please send reports to Tony Markham with a copy 
to the main editor.

Guy M Hurst