http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=1233789

by Peter Jenniskens

SETI Institute scientist and meteor expert Peter Jenniskens reports in a
telegram issued by the International Astronomical Union's Minor Planet Center
(http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=1233789) that an unexpected
burst of meteors on October 5, 2005 has occurred, which betrayed the presence of
a thusfar unknown, potentially Earth-threatening, comet.

The burst of meteors radiated from a direction on the border of the
constellations Draco and Camelopardalis, and the new shower is called the
October Camelopardalids. The meteors were caused by dust ejected by an
Intermediate Long-Period comet during its previous return to the Sun, and the
detection of the comet's dust trail implies that the comet itself could wander
into Earth's path, if so directed by the gravitational pull of the planets. The
comet itself has not yet been discovered and is likely to return to Earth's
vicinity only once every 200 - 10,000 years. Chances are very small that Earth
will be at the intersection point at the time of the return, hence, there is no
immediate concern. The dust, however, is forensic evidence that may provide more
insight into the nature of this new comet when the meteor shower is seen again
in the future.

2005 OCTOBER 5 OUTBURST OF OCTOBER CAMELOPARDALIDS

Peter Jenniskens, Jarmo Moilanen, Esko Lyytinen, Ilkka Yrjölä, Jeff Brower

http://www.seti.org/atf/cf/{B0D4BC0E-D59B-4CD0-9E79-113953A58644}/WGNreport.pdf