The Giacobinid (Draconid) Meteor Shower, 1972

The major return of the Giacobinid meteor shower predicted to occur at 1972 October 8.6 was not observed. However, radio observations revealed a previously unknown diffuse component of this shower, the activity of which maximized at October 8.2±0.3, at a solar longitude, $$\lambda_\odot$$ (1950.0), of 194°7±o°.3; this diffuse component had a width of 1.2±0.2 days and, at maximum rate, 23±5 meteors with zenithal radio magnitudes brighter than 6.8 could be observed per hour; the magnitude distribution index of the meteors was 1.48±0.12 in the magnitude range $$5.3\lt M_\text R\lt6.8$$ .