Post by BillW on Nov 16, 2012 21:20:21 GMT
Hello all meteor observers.
Over the past while there have been some fast moving and interesting developments in the field of Meteor Observation.
A quick look back will be posted here for historical completeness.
Courtesy of Alex Pratt.
A brief chronology of UK meteor videography
Please note:-
This is not a comprehensive summary of the work done by UK observers. It mainly lists the contributions by members of the British Astronomical Association’s Meteor Section, and is incomplete with reference to the work of Armagh Observatory (partnership with Robert Cobain), the Society for Popular Astronomy (Robin Leadbetter) and UK members of the International Meteor Organisation (Malcolm Currie).
Early days
In the 1970s and 1980s video work was the preserve of those with access to professional-level equipment.
1977 – Mike Hapgood used low-light video cameras to record Perseid meteors from Harwell and Southampton.
1983 – Robert McNaught recorded the Perseids from Herstmonceux.
The rise of the amateur
In the 1990s amateurs started to work in this field, although the equipment was prohibitively expensive to all but a few.
Andrew Elliott investigated the use of image intensifiers to video record meteor showers. He obtained 2nd-generation intensifiers, which had been ‘classified technology’ and they were not cheap, costing up to £1000 each, which was a considerable outlay 20 years ago.
Steve Evans (BAA Meteor Section Photographic Coordinator) operated banks of medium format cameras equipped with rotating shutters. Andrew’s image-intensified video system included a time-and-date inserter, so that the precise times of Steve’s photographed meteors could be determined. This data was used in estimating meteor radiants, meteor velocities and in calculating the orbital elements of the best quality events.
(Steve later replaced his medium format cameras with 35mm Canon T70s with data backs).
Andrew gave over 100 talks on the use of video technology to record meteor showers and lunar and asteroidal occultations.
1996 – Andrew Elliott, Hugh Gee and Tim Haymes used Andrew’s image intensifiers and video cameras to record the Geminids from Reading. Alex Pratt purchased an Astrovid 505E video camera and 12mm f/1.2 lens (0.01 lux) to monitor meteor showers from Leeds.
1997 – Alex Pratt used his Astrovid to record the Geminids shower during Full Moon. He processed VHS tapes via a PC and graphics card, creating short AVIs and composite JPGs of meteors – which are now (thankfully!) automated features of Metrec and UFO Capture.
1998 – Andrew Elliott (photography and image-intensified video), Tim Haymes (intensified video) and Steve Evans (photography and CCD canera) observed the Leonids.
1999 – Andrew Elliott took his video system to COAA, Algarve and Alex Pratt (Troodos Mts, Cyprus) used a Hi8 Sony camcorder set to 1/3 sec exposures and high gain (0.1 lux) to record the Leonid meteor storm. Alex later experimented with an inexpensive Maplins mono video camera (0.02 lux) recommended to him by Len Entwisle.
2000 – Steve Evans used an image intensifier and Sirko Molau’s Metrec software to record the Leonids from the Algarve.
2001 - Steve Evans and Andrew Elliott took their photographic and video systems to Arizona to monitor the Leonids.
2002 – Steve used the same equipment to observe the Leonids from Andalucia.
2008 - Bill Ward (Glasgow) started to use UFO Capture and extended his work to include video spectroscopy and determine the chemical composition of meteors.
2010 - William Stewart (Nantwich, Cheshire) set up a dual camera UFO Capture system. Nick James (Chelmsford) started writing his own meteor capture software.
2012 William Stewart and Alex Pratt operated a 2-station network to determine meteor radiants and orbits using the UFO program suite.
Alex Pratt 2012 November
Over the past while there have been some fast moving and interesting developments in the field of Meteor Observation.
A quick look back will be posted here for historical completeness.
Courtesy of Alex Pratt.
A brief chronology of UK meteor videography
Please note:-
This is not a comprehensive summary of the work done by UK observers. It mainly lists the contributions by members of the British Astronomical Association’s Meteor Section, and is incomplete with reference to the work of Armagh Observatory (partnership with Robert Cobain), the Society for Popular Astronomy (Robin Leadbetter) and UK members of the International Meteor Organisation (Malcolm Currie).
Early days
In the 1970s and 1980s video work was the preserve of those with access to professional-level equipment.
1977 – Mike Hapgood used low-light video cameras to record Perseid meteors from Harwell and Southampton.
1983 – Robert McNaught recorded the Perseids from Herstmonceux.
The rise of the amateur
In the 1990s amateurs started to work in this field, although the equipment was prohibitively expensive to all but a few.
Andrew Elliott investigated the use of image intensifiers to video record meteor showers. He obtained 2nd-generation intensifiers, which had been ‘classified technology’ and they were not cheap, costing up to £1000 each, which was a considerable outlay 20 years ago.
Steve Evans (BAA Meteor Section Photographic Coordinator) operated banks of medium format cameras equipped with rotating shutters. Andrew’s image-intensified video system included a time-and-date inserter, so that the precise times of Steve’s photographed meteors could be determined. This data was used in estimating meteor radiants, meteor velocities and in calculating the orbital elements of the best quality events.
(Steve later replaced his medium format cameras with 35mm Canon T70s with data backs).
Andrew gave over 100 talks on the use of video technology to record meteor showers and lunar and asteroidal occultations.
1996 – Andrew Elliott, Hugh Gee and Tim Haymes used Andrew’s image intensifiers and video cameras to record the Geminids from Reading. Alex Pratt purchased an Astrovid 505E video camera and 12mm f/1.2 lens (0.01 lux) to monitor meteor showers from Leeds.
1997 – Alex Pratt used his Astrovid to record the Geminids shower during Full Moon. He processed VHS tapes via a PC and graphics card, creating short AVIs and composite JPGs of meteors – which are now (thankfully!) automated features of Metrec and UFO Capture.
1998 – Andrew Elliott (photography and image-intensified video), Tim Haymes (intensified video) and Steve Evans (photography and CCD canera) observed the Leonids.
1999 – Andrew Elliott took his video system to COAA, Algarve and Alex Pratt (Troodos Mts, Cyprus) used a Hi8 Sony camcorder set to 1/3 sec exposures and high gain (0.1 lux) to record the Leonid meteor storm. Alex later experimented with an inexpensive Maplins mono video camera (0.02 lux) recommended to him by Len Entwisle.
2000 – Steve Evans used an image intensifier and Sirko Molau’s Metrec software to record the Leonids from the Algarve.
2001 - Steve Evans and Andrew Elliott took their photographic and video systems to Arizona to monitor the Leonids.
2002 – Steve used the same equipment to observe the Leonids from Andalucia.
2008 - Bill Ward (Glasgow) started to use UFO Capture and extended his work to include video spectroscopy and determine the chemical composition of meteors.
2010 - William Stewart (Nantwich, Cheshire) set up a dual camera UFO Capture system. Nick James (Chelmsford) started writing his own meteor capture software.
2012 William Stewart and Alex Pratt operated a 2-station network to determine meteor radiants and orbits using the UFO program suite.
Alex Pratt 2012 November
