Virginids

The Virginids are a meteor shower. There are many major and minor meteor shower streams that occur during the Virginid Complex,[1] including the Alpha Virginids, Gamma Virginids,[2][3][4][5] Eta Virginids, Theta Virginids, Iota Virginids,[6] Lambda Virginids,[7] Mu Virginids,[8] Pi Virginids, and Psi Virginids,[9] and March Virginids,[10][11] emanating mostly from the constellation Virgo between February and May.[1] Collectively, the shower normally lasts from late January to mid-April[12] and into early May,[1] peaking in March and April,[1][12] with one to two meteors per hour on average.[12] The main radiant shifts southeastwards from central Leo in late January to central Virgo near Spica in mid-May.[13]

Alpha Virginids

The Alpha Virginids occur between March 10 and May 6, peaking between April 7 and April 18, with five to ten meteors per hour. They were first detected in 1895.[14]

Gamma Virginids

The North and South Gamma Virginids are a slow-moving minor meteor shower stream,[2][3] although the May Gamma Virginids and Daytime Gamma Virginids are faster-moving.[4][5] The source of the North and South Gamma Virginid streams are thought to be 2002 FC and 2003 BD44, respectively.[2][3] It usually spans from April 5 to April 21, peaking on April 14 and April 15, with less than five meteors per hour. It was first discovered in 1895.[15]

Eta Virginids

The Eta Virginids occur between February 24 and March 27, peaking around March 18 with only one to two meteors per hour. The shower was first detected in 1961.[16]

Theta Virginids

The Theta Virginids occur between March 10 and April 21, peaking around March 20, with only one to three meteors per hour. The shower was first observed in 1850 and identified in 1948.[17]

Iota Virginids

The Iota Virginids are a minor daytime meteor shower stream.[6]

Lambda Virginids

The Lambda Virginids are a minor meteor shower stream.[7]

Mu Virginids

The Mu virginids are a minor meteor shower stream, visible in April[18] and early May. The shower typically lasts from April 1 to May 12, peaking around April 24[19] to April 25. Its radiant is near Libra, peaking with seven to ten meteors per hour.[20]

Pi Virginids

The Pi Virginids occur between February 13 and April 8, peaking between March 3 and March 9, with two to five meteors per hour. The shower was first observed in 1908 and identified in 1948.[21]

Psi Virginids

The Psi Virginids are a minor daytime meteor shower stream.[9]

March Virginids

The March Virginids are a minor meteor shower stream; the source of the Northern March Virginids is thought to be 1998 SJ70.[10] The Beta Leonids, lasting from February 14 to April 25, peaking around March 20 with three to four meteors per hour, were also referred to as the "March Virginids".[22]

References
  1. "The Virginids Complex". Meteor Showers Online. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2008-11-20. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  2. Jopek, T.J. (Nov 15, 2007). "North Gamma Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  3. Jopek, T.J. (Nov 15, 2007). "South Gamma Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  4. Jopek, T.J. (Nov 15, 2007). "May Gamma Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  5. Jopek, T.J. (Nov 15, 2007). "Dayt. Gamma Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  6. Jopek, T. J. (Nov 15, 2007). "Iota Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  7. Jopek, T. J. (Nov 15, 2007). "Lambda Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  8. Jopek, T. J. (Nov 15, 2007). "Mu Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  9. Jopek, T. J. (Nov 15, 2007). "Psi Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  10. Jopek, T. J. (Nov 15, 2007). "Northern March Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  11. Jopek, T. J. (Nov 15, 2007). "South. March Virginids". IAU Meteor Data Center. Archived from the original on 2011-06-14. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  12. "SPA Meteor Section". Pop astro. 2006. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  13. "Virginids Radiant Position". nightskyinfo.com. p. 1. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  14. "Alpha Virginids". Meteor Showers Online. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  15. "Gamma Virginids". Meteor Showers Online. Archived from the original on 2008-08-27. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  16. "Eta Virginids". Meteor Showers Online. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  17. "Theta Virginids". Meteor Showers Online. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  18. Davis, Mark (3 May 2001). "(meteorbs) NAMN Notes: May 2001". meteorbs. Archived from the original on 16 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  19. "meteor shower list". International Meteor Organization. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  20. "glossary". Project Pluto. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
  21. "Pi Virginids". Meteor Showers Online. p. 1. Archived from the original on 2008-08-07. Retrieved 2008-08-05.
  22. "Beta Leonids". Meteor Showers Online. Archived from the original on 2008-05-16. Retrieved 2008-08-07.
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