The 2004 June Bootid meteor shower

Abstract

The June Bootid meteor shower is known to show irregular activity. We report here the prediction and observations of the 2004 shower. The forecasts were independently performed by three different teams, who all concurred on a broad activity on June 23, though no estimate of the level was done prior to the event. Thanks to these predictions, observations around the world were conducted and gathered by the International Meteor Organization. The broad activity (full width at half-maximum ≃ 7 h) was observed, with a maximum occurring at 14:50 ± 60 min UT. The level of the shower reached a zenithal hourly rate (ZHR) of 30 ± 10, for a population index of r = 2.49 ± 0.15. Past showers are examined and new associations between the 1916 and 1998 showers and several trails from the early nineteenth century are made. An attempt to post-predict the values of the level of all these showers is discussed. New observations of comet 7P/Pons-Winnecke are needed when it returns in 2008. © 2005 RAS.