THE 1995 OUTBURST AND POSSIBLE ORIGIN OF THE ALPHA-MONOCEROTID METEOROID STREAM

A short-duration outburst of the alpha-Monocerotids was observed on 19 95 November 22 between 01:15 and 01:45 UT. The highest equivalent zeni thal hourly rate (EZHR) occurred in the 5-min interval 01:25-01:30 UT, reaching a value of 420 +/- 50. The peak time derived from the availa ble data is 1995 November 22 01:28 UT +/- 3 min, or lambda(.) = 239 de grees.320 +/- 0 degrees.002 (J2000), The FWHM of the peak as derived f rom a Gaussian fit to the rate profile amounts to 0 degrees.016 in sol ar longitude or 22 min. The population index, r, is found from visual magnitude estimates to be r = 2.36,+/- 0.17. The radiant for the showe r has been determined from video observations to be alpha = 117 degree s +/- 3 degrees, delta = + 1 degrees +/- 2 degrees. The potential orbi ts associated with this radiant for plausible entry velocities suggest that the shower is not associated with C/1943 W1 (Van Gent-Peltier-Da imaca or 1944 I) as first suggested by Kresak. The most probable paren t is a small comet with a 10-yr period and a node very near the Earth.