Skip to main content
Log in

Historical variation in the meteor flux as found in Chinese and Japanese chronicles

  • Invited Papers
  • Published:
Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Numbers of meteors recorded in Chinese and Japanese histories are counted. Two distinct maxima in Chinese records are found in the 11th and 15th centuries, and the latter is also recorded in Japan. Of those records, numbers of bright meteors with sound and great fireballs that appeared in the daytime are also investigated.

Correlations between the meteor numbers and the apparitions of naked-eye comet likely to be found, and seasonal variations in the meteor flux recorded during nineteen centuries show two maxima in July–August and October–November, the latter may be related to the Taurid complex.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Astapovic, I. S., and Terenteva, A. K.: 1968, in Physics and Dynamics of Meteors, I.A.U. Symp. No.33, ed. L. Kresak and P. M. Millman (Reidel, Dordrecht), p. 308.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bailey, M. E., Clube, S. V. M. and Napier, W. M.: 1990, The Origin of Comets, Pergamon, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beijing Observatory: 1988, General Compilation of Chinese Ancient Astronomical Records.

  • Biot, E.: 1848, Mem. Acad. des Sci. dc l'Inst. Nat. de France, Paris, 10, 129.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clube, S. V. M. and Napier, W. M.: 1982, The Cosmic Serpent, Farber & Farber, London.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clube, S. V. M. and Napier, W. M.: 1989, Cosmic Winter, Basil Blackwell, Oxford.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dall'olmo, U.: 1978, J. History Astron., 9, 123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hasagawa, I.: 1980, Vistas Astron., 24, 59.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho Peng Yoke: 1962, Vistas Astron., 5, 127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ho Peng Yoke and Ang Tian-Se: 1970, Oriens Extremes, 1/2, 63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Imoto, S. and Hasagawa, I.: 1958, Smithson. Contrib. Astrophys., 2, 131.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kanda, S.: 1935, Japanese Historical Records of Celestial Phenomena, Tokyo.

  • Ohsaki, S.: 1990, in preparation.

  • Rasmussen, K. L.: 1990, Quart. J. Roy. Astron. Soc., 31, 95.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rasmussen, K. L., 1991, Quart. J. Roy. Astron. Soc., 32, 25.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhuang Tian-Shan, 1966, Acta Astron. Sinica, 14, 37. (English translation: 1977, Chinese Astron., 1, 197).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Hasegawa, I. Historical variation in the meteor flux as found in Chinese and Japanese chronicles. Celestial Mech Dyn Astr 54, 129–142 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00049548

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00049548

Key words

Navigation