Comae Berenicids | |
---|---|
Parent body | Unknown |
Radiant | |
Constellation | Coma Berenices |
Right ascension | 11h 40m -0s |
Declination | +18° 00′ 00″ |
Properties | |
Occurs during | December 12 to December 23 |
Date of peak | December 16 |
Velocity | 65 km/s |
Zenithal hourly rate | 3 |
Comae Berenicids [sic][1][2] (formerly Coma Berenicids,[3] IMO designation: COM; IAU shower number: 20) is a minor meteor shower with a radiant in the constellation Coma Berenices. The shower appears from December 12 to December 23 with the estimated maximum around December 16.[4] The radiant at that time is located at α=175°, δ=+18°.[4] The shower's population index is 3.0 with the speed of 65 kilometres per second (40 mi/s).[4]
The Comae Berenicids were first detected within the framework of Harvard Radio Meteor Project. The shower's existence was discovered by Richard Eugene McCrosky and A. Posen in 1959.[5] The Comae Berenicids have an orbit very similar to the December Leo Minorids often leading to confusion between the two meteor showers.