(meteorobs) Perseid pix

[Ed Majden]

on 8/15/05 19:02, bmccurdy at telusplanet.net at bmccurdy at telusplanet.net
wrote:

> Quoting Javor Kac <javor.kac at orion-drustvo.si>:

> Wow! What a beautiful shot! Quick question: do the colours captured on what
> passes for film these days have any relationship with the reality of the
> visual 
> fireball, or are they merely artifacts of image processing?
> 

Javor:
    Dr. Jeremy Tatum and Dr. Roy Bishop just had a research paper published
in the Journal of the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, April 2005, 99:
61-64, entitled "A Precise Measurement of a Leonid Meteor.  The picture was
secured by two amateurs, Micheal Boschat and Mr. Burgess from two different
locations, therefor height data was calculated.  The color sequence was
discussed.  The paper states that the true color sequence would be difficult
to evaluate without a spectrum of the meteor.  On a number of occasions I
pointed out that the green color at the beginning of the trail is probably
cause by the oxygen green line, O I 3F at 557.7nm.  This occurs at a higher
elevation than the features from the main body and is present alone.  It is
a common feature in meteors faster than 40 km/second.  The measured height
of this green portion supports this contention.  As stated, it is difficult
to evaluate the colors further along the path without a spectrum as the
colors are blends of the elements present at that time.  Other factors play
into this also, like the characteristics of the film etc.  This can be quite
complex and more study is needed.

Ed Majden  B.C. - Fireball Network Coordinator - AMS Meteor Spectroscopy
West Coast Sandia Bolide Detection Station
Courtenay B.C. CANADA

http://members.shaw.ca/epmajden/index.htm