Circular No. 3691 Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM Telephone 617-864-5758 APRIL LYRID METEORS Visual observers in Florida and Colorado have reported a brief, unusually intense, return of the April Lyrid meteor stream. At the peak of the display, around Apr. 22d06h50m UT (corresponding to solar longitude 31o.38; cf. for the associated comet 1861 I at epoch 1861.4 Node = 31o.17; equinox 1950.0), these observers recorded 3-5 Lyrids per minute. For the hour centered on the peak the observed hourly rate was ~ 75 (corresponding to ZHR ~ 90-100). The observed hourly rates were less than 20 during the preceding and the following hours. The brightest meteors were of mag -2.0 to -3.0. Observers were N. McLeod, III, Fort Myers, FL; P. Jones, St. Augustine, FL; H. Povenmire, Indian Harbour Beach, FL; T. Schmidt, Colorado Springs, CO; and M. Adams, Palm Bay, FL. Any other observers who witnessed the event are encouraged to forward their observations to M. Adams at P.O. Box 863, Palm Bay, FL 32905, U.S.A. (1009) SIRENE L. K. Kristensen, Institute of Physics, University of Aarhus; writes that photoelectric observations by P. Gammelgaard, Ole Romer Observatory, of the comparison stars originally used suggest that this object, one of the seven remaining numbered minor planets lost since their discovery oppositions, may be brighter than shown in Efemeridy Malkyh Planet for 1982. The following alternative ephemeris is from new computations by Kristensen. The object should be 1 mag brighter still at the opposition in 1984 Mar., but the Variation will then be twice what it is this year. For dT = +1d 1982 ET R. A. (1950) Decl. Delta r dR.A. dDecl. Mag. May 11 19 11.74 - 8 39.9 2.584 3.214 -0m72 - 2'9 20.3 21 19 09.78 - 7 40.4 31 19 05.56 - 6 44.3 2.305 3.144 -0.81 - 3.3 19.9 June 10 18 59.20 - 5 54.3 20 18 50.97 - 5 12.8 2.109 3.069 -0.87 - 3.7 19.5 30 18 41.43 - 4 42.5 July 10 18 31.37 - 4 25.2 2.017 2.990 -0.88 - 4.0 19.3 20 18 21.65 - 4 21.5 30 18 13.14 - 4 31.0 2.033 2.908 -0.82 - 3.9 19.4 Aug. 9 18 06.55 - 4 51.6 19 18 02.32 - 5 20.8 2.135 2.821 -0.73 - 3.6 19.6 1982 April 28 (3691) Brian G. Marsden
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