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National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Phoenicid Meteor Shower from Dead Comet Arises again after 58 Years

| Science

Time-lapse photography of Phoenicid meteor shower. Made from all sky images taken continuously from 23h14m to 26h48m UT, Dec. 1, 2014. The meteors appearing at 0:20, 0:46, 0:57, 1:18, 1:38, 1:42 belong to the Phoenicid meteor shower. The central bright spot is the Moon, and long lines of light moving upward or downward are airplanes. Camera: Pentax K-3 + SIGMA 4.5mm F2.8, each exposure 3 seconds, at Sandy Point, North Carolina, U.S.A.. (Photos: Hiroyuki Toda) (Credit: NAOJ)

Japanese astronomers observed the elusive “Phoenicid meteor shower” and have determined that it was spawned by the now vanished Comet Blanpain. They also found that Comet Blanpain was active, though only weakly, in the early 20th Century. This is the first time that researchers could determine the activity of a comet by observing its associated meteor shower. These results are important for understanding the evolution of minor bodies in the Solar System.

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The Universe Awareness website provides children through the world with fun, easy to understand news and educational materials about the Universe. These help kids understand the size and beauty of the Universe. The “Space Scoop” section of Universe Awareness contains articles written for kids explaining current astronomy news. A Space Scoop is available for this article.