The Ch'ing-yang event of 1490 (also Ch'ing-yang, Chi-ing-yang or Chíing-yang meteor shower) is a presumed meteor shower or air burst in Qingyang in March or April 1490.[1][2] The area was at the time part of Shaanxi, but is now in the Gansu province.[2] A 1994 study in the journal Meteoritics tentatively explained this event as a meteor air burst.[1]
Some historical Chinese accounts of the meteor shower recorded many deaths,[2] but the official Ming Dynasty history records the event without mentioning casualties.[1][3] The casualties are therefore doubted by many researchers in the modern era. In the same year, Asian astronomers coincidentally discovered comet C/1490 Y1, a possible progenitor of the Quadrantid meteor showers.[4]
At least three surviving Chinese historical records describe a shower of rocks,[2][5] one stating that "stones fell like rain."[1] Human fatality estimates in these sources range from more than ten thousand people to several tens of thousands of people.[1][2] The official History of the Ming Dynasty contains a report of the event, and other journal records which describe the event are also generally considered reliable.[5] The official Ming Dynasty history, however, omits the number of casualties, which therefore has been frequently either doubted or discounted by present-day researchers.[1][3]
Due to the paucity of detailed information and the lack of surviving meteorites or other physical evidence, researchers have been unable to definitively state the exact nature of the dramatic event,[6] even examining the possible occurrence of severe hail.[1] Kevin Yau of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory and his collaborators have noted several similarities of the Ch'ing-yang event to the Tunguska air burst in 1908, which, if it had occurred above a populated area, could have produced many fatalities.[1][7]
Stones fell like rain in the Ch’ing-yang district. The larger ones were 4 to 5 catties (about 1.5 kg), and the smaller ones were 2 to 3 catties (about 1 kg). Numerous stones rained in Ch'ing-yang. Their sizes were all different. The larger ones were like goose's eggs and the smaller ones were like water-chestnuts. More than 10,000 people were struck dead. All of the people in the city fled to other places.
One source of Chinese astronomical information of celestial events, the Zhongguo gudai tianxiang jilu zongji (Complete collection of records of celestial phenomena in ancient China) records ten works that discuss the March–April 1490 event,[2][8] including the official History of the Ming Dynasty. Additionally, there are records of it in local gazettes and histories of the region.[2] The History of Ming work (the 明史, or Míng Shǐ) states only that there was a rain of uncountable stones up to the size of goose eggs. The date given was the third lunar month of 1490, which translates as March 21 to April 19, 1490.[2]
Coincidental comet
In 2007 astronomers determined that the annual January Quadrantid meteor shower may have originated with the disintegration of Comet C/1490 Y1, approximately a century after it was first identified in 1490 by Chinese, Japanese, and Korean astronomers.[9][10] A connection with asteroid (196256) 2003 EH1 has also been suggested.[4] The large difference between the timing of the January meteor showers and the 1490 Ch'ing-yang event—which occurred in March or April 1490 AD—makes a relationship between the comet and the Ch'ing-yang event appear unlikely.[citation needed]
^ abcdefghiYau, K., Weissman, P., & Yeomans, D. Meteorite Falls In China And Some Related Human Casualty Events, Meteoritics, Vol. 29, No. 6, pp. 864–871, ISSN 0026-1114, bibliographic code: 1994Metic..29..864Y.
^ abcdefghWebb, Sterling K., Juhl, Robert A. Meteorite deaths in Qingyang (Ch'ing-yang) in 1490, MeteoriteCentral.com website as archived on Mail-Archive.com, January 1, 2010. Retrieved March 13, 2013.
^ abKi-Won Lee; Hong-Jin Yang; Myeong-Gu Park (2009). "Orbital Elements of Comet C/1490 Y1 and the Quadrantid shower". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. Cornell University Library. 400 (3): 1389–1393. arXiv:0908.2547. Bibcode:2009MNRAS.400.1389L. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2009.15535.x.
^Asteroid's close shave ranks among Earth's biggest hits (and misses), NBCNews.com website, February 14, 2013. Retrieved March 8, 2013.
^Lewis, John S. Rain of Iron and Ice: The Very Real Threat of Comet and Asteroid Bombardment, Basic Books, 1997, P. 170, ISBN0201154943, ISBN9780201154948.
^"Zhongguo gudai tianxiang jilu zongji, (Complete collection of records of celestial phenomena in ancient China)", Nanjing: Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1988, pp 73–74. (in Chinese)
^Haines, Lester, Meteor shower traced to 1490 comet break-up: Quadrantid mystery solved, The Register, January 8, 2008.
^Ball, Phillip. Dead comet spawned New Year meteors, Nature online website, ISSN 1744-7933, doi:10.1038/news031229-5, published online on December 31, 2003.
Further reading
Crawford, D.; Mader, C. "Modeling Asteroid Impact Tsunami", Science of Tsunami Hazards, 1998, Vol. 16 pp. 21–30.
Paine M (1999). "Asteroid Impacts: The Extra Hazard Due To Tsunami". Science of Tsunami Hazards. 17 (3): 155–166.
Steel, Duncan. Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets: The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth, Wiley & Sons, 1995, [1997], ISBN0471193380, ISBN978-0-4711-9338-8.
Ward, S.; Asphaug, E. "Asteroid Impact Tsunami: A Probabilistic Hazard Assessment", Icarus, 2000, Vol. 145, pp. 64–78.
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The Ch ing yang event of 1490 also Ch ing yang Chi ing yang or Chiing yang meteor shower is a presumed meteor shower or air burst in Qingyang in March or April 1490 1 2 The area was at the time part of Shaanxi but is now in the Gansu province 2 A 1994 study in the journal Meteoritics tentatively explained this event as a meteor air burst 1 Some historical Chinese accounts of the meteor shower recorded many deaths 2 but the official Ming Dynasty history records the event without mentioning casualties 1 3 The casualties are therefore doubted by many researchers in the modern era In the same year Asian astronomers coincidentally discovered comet C 1490 Y1 a possible progenitor of the Quadrantid meteor showers 4 Contents 1 Meteor shower 2 Coincidental comet 3 See also 4 References 5 Further readingMeteor shower EditAt least three surviving Chinese historical records describe a shower of rocks 2 5 one stating that stones fell like rain 1 Human fatality estimates in these sources range from more than ten thousand people to several tens of thousands of people 1 2 The official History of the Ming Dynasty contains a report of the event and other journal records which describe the event are also generally considered reliable 5 The official Ming Dynasty history however omits the number of casualties which therefore has been frequently either doubted or discounted by present day researchers 1 3 Due to the paucity of detailed information and the lack of surviving meteorites or other physical evidence researchers have been unable to definitively state the exact nature of the dramatic event 6 even examining the possible occurrence of severe hail 1 Kevin Yau of NASA s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and his collaborators have noted several similarities of the Ch ing yang event to the Tunguska air burst in 1908 which if it had occurred above a populated area could have produced many fatalities 1 7 One surviving account records 1 Stones fell like rain in the Ch ing yang district The larger ones were 4 to 5 catties about 1 5 kg and the smaller ones were 2 to 3 catties about 1 kg Numerous stones rained in Ch ing yang Their sizes were all different The larger ones were like goose s eggs and the smaller ones were like water chestnuts More than 10 000 people were struck dead All of the people in the city fled to other places One source of Chinese astronomical information of celestial events the Zhongguo gudai tianxiang jilu zongji Complete collection of records of celestial phenomena in ancient China records ten works that discuss the March April 1490 event 2 8 including the official History of the Ming Dynasty Additionally there are records of it in local gazettes and histories of the region 2 The History of Ming work the 明史 or Ming Shǐ states only that there was a rain of uncountable stones up to the size of goose eggs The date given was the third lunar month of 1490 which translates as March 21 to April 19 1490 2 Coincidental comet EditIn 2007 astronomers determined that the annual January Quadrantid meteor shower may have originated with the disintegration of Comet C 1490 Y1 approximately a century after it was first identified in 1490 by Chinese Japanese and Korean astronomers 9 10 A connection with asteroid 196256 2003 EH1 has also been suggested 4 The large difference between the timing of the January meteor showers and the 1490 Ch ing yang event which occurred in March or April 1490 AD makes a relationship between the comet and the Ch ing yang event appear unlikely citation needed See also EditAsteroid impact avoidance B612 Foundation NEOShield SpaceguardReferences Edit a b c d e f g h i Yau K Weissman P amp Yeomans D Meteorite Falls In China And Some Related Human Casualty Events Meteoritics Vol 29 No 6 pp 864 871 ISSN 0026 1114 bibliographic code 1994Metic 29 864Y a b c d e f g h Webb Sterling K Juhl Robert A Meteorite deaths in Qingyang Ch ing yang in 1490 MeteoriteCentral com website as archived on Mail Archive com January 1 2010 Retrieved March 13 2013 a b Gritzner C Human Casualties in Impact Events WGN Journal of the International Meteor Organization pp 222 226 bib code 1997JIMO 25 222G a b Ki Won Lee Hong Jin Yang Myeong Gu Park 2009 Orbital Elements of Comet C 1490 Y1 and the Quadrantid shower Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Cornell University Library 400 3 1389 1393 arXiv 0908 2547 Bibcode 2009MNRAS 400 1389L doi 10 1111 j 1365 2966 2009 15535 x a b Death from above in ancient China Sky amp Telescope March 1995 Vol 89 Iss 3 p 15 ISSN 0037 6604 Asteroid s close shave ranks among Earth s biggest hits and misses NBCNews com website February 14 2013 Retrieved March 8 2013 Lewis John S Rain of Iron and Ice The Very Real Threat of Comet and Asteroid Bombardment Basic Books 1997 P 170 ISBN 0201154943 ISBN 9780201154948 Zhongguo gudai tianxiang jilu zongji Complete collection of records of celestial phenomena in ancient China Nanjing Chinese Academy of Sciences 1988 pp 73 74 in Chinese Haines Lester Meteor shower traced to 1490 comet break up Quadrantid mystery solved The Register January 8 2008 Ball Phillip Dead comet spawned New Year meteors Nature online website ISSN 1744 7933 doi 10 1038 news031229 5 published online on December 31 2003 Further reading EditCrawford D Mader C Modeling Asteroid Impact Tsunami Science of Tsunami Hazards 1998 Vol 16 pp 21 30 Lewis John S Comet And Asteroid Impact Hazards On A Populated Earth Computer Modeling Volume 1 Academic Press 2000 ISBN 0124467601 ISBN 978 0124467606 Paine M 1999 Asteroid Impacts The Extra Hazard Due To Tsunami Science of Tsunami Hazards 17 3 155 166 Steel Duncan Rogue Asteroids and Doomsday Comets The Search for the Million Megaton Menace That Threatens Life on Earth Wiley amp Sons 1995 1997 ISBN 0471193380 ISBN 978 0 4711 9338 8 Ward S Asphaug E Asteroid Impact Tsunami A Probabilistic Hazard Assessment Icarus 2000 Vol 145 pp 64 78 Portals History China Astronomy Stars Outer space Solar System Science Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1490 Ch 27ing yang event amp oldid 1138469838, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
