Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
IAUC 5345: JUPITER; PERSEID METEORS 1991; 1989h1
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Read IAUC 5346
Circular No. 5345
Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
INTERNATIONAL ASTRONOMICAL UNION
Postal Address: Central Bureau for Astronomical Telegrams
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A.
Telephone 617-495-7244/7440/7444 (for emergency use only)
TWX 710-320-6842 ASTROGRAM CAM EASYLINK 62794505
MARSDEN or GREEN@CFA.BITNET MARSDEN or GREEN@CFAPS2.SPAN
JUPITER
R. L. Baron and T. Owen, University of Hawaii; and S. Miller,
University College, London, communicate: "We should like to report the
detection and imaging of emission arcs at both rotational poles of
Jupiter at a wavelength of about 1.74 microns (CVF). These arcs
appear to correspond in location and morphology to auroral features
previously reported from observations of the 3- and 4-micron bands of
H3+ (IAUC 5132, 5211). The wavelength of observation corresponds to a
calculated H3+ line identified as the 2 nu2 (l=2) - nu0; (5,0-4,3)
transition. The two poles show similar emission at this new
wavelength, and the features have been observed to rotate with the
planet. As in the case of the 3- and 4-micron band emission reported
previously, no 1.74-micron emission was seen in images of Saturn. We
also report the first imaging of polar H3+ emission at 2.04 microns on
Jupiter. This feature was originally detected by spectroscopic means.
These observations were made on July 7 and 9 at the NASA Infrared
Telescope located on Mauna Kea, using ProtoCAM, the IRTF facility
instrument."
PERSEID METEORS 1991
With further reference to IAUC 5330 and 5340, P. Roggemans, M.
Gyssens and P. Brown, International Meteor Organization, inform us
that visual observations in Europe and North America do not indicate
that this year's Perseid shower was unusually strong. In apparent
confirmation of the Japanese reports (see also IAUC 5342), however,
Brown e-mails that W. Tynan, QST Magazine, remarks that several
amateur radio operators in North America described communications this
year as the most spectacular they had ever experienced during the
Perseids, the maximum being during the 2 hr centered on Aug. 12.62 UT;
S. Ennis, Elizabethtown, KY, noted that, except for during the 1966
Leonids, the effect was the strongest he had detected in 30 yr. Brown
adds that volcanic dust from the Mount Pinatubo eruption strongly
interfered with visual observations in Hawaii but that M. Morrow
suggested that there was no unusual activity as early as Aug. 12.56 UT.
PERIODIC COMET VAN BIESBROECK (1989h1)
Total visual magnitude estimates by C. S. Morris, Lockwood
Valley, CA (0.51-m reflector): Aug. 4.32 UT, 13.7; Sept. 11.35, 13.4.
1991 September 14 (5345) Brian G. Marsden
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