Open AccessThe Kappa Cygnid meteoroid complex
Author(s) -
Jones D. C.,
Williams I. P.,
Porubc̆an V.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
monthly notices of the royal astronomical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.058
H-Index - 383
eISSN - 1365-2966
pISSN - 0035-8711
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2006.10691.x
Subject(s) - meteoroid , asteroid , physics , meteor shower , meteor (satellite) , orbital elements , astrophysics , astronomy , kappa , geometry , mathematics
The Kappa Cygnid meteor shower was first identified in 1874. However, since it appears immediately after the well‐known Perseid shower, very little attention has been paid to it. We have searched through catalogues of meteor orbits in order to derive the best possible set of elements for the mean stream. We have then used the MPC catalogue to search for comets and asteroids that have similar orbits, and so may be associated with the formation of the stream. Since the number of known asteroids is large, chance agreement at the current time in orbital elements is possible. By numerical integration, we have investigated the past orbital history of both stream and potential parent. Only if there is good agreement do we consider a relationship to have been established. We find that one asteroid 2001 MG1 matches the evolution of a subgroup of orbits, we also find that asteroid 2004 LA12 has a similar evolution and that both could be fragments of the original parent.