(meteorobs) Fwd: Re: "Meteor outburst" on APOD

[bmccurdy at telusplanet.net]

   Hi again, thanks all for your comments, and hats off to Meteor Wayne and 
Marco for the right call of Iridium flares. That was my guess too. I have since 
been in contact with Tunc Tezel, the photographer of the mysterious streaks, 
who confirms that explanation. With his permission I have copied Tunc's reply 
below, which includes some comments about other possible Alpha Ursa Majorids 
captured in his image.

   Bruce
   *****   


> > --- bmccurdy at telusplanet.net wrote:

>>    Hi Tunc. Congratulations on having your interesting photo published on  
APOD. Given the possible meteoric origin I have sent the below email <snipped> 
to the Global Meteor Observing Forum (meteorobs). 

>>    I wonder if you have read any of the discussion linked to the APOD site, 
and if you can rule out some of the theories (Iridium flares, power lines). I 
must admit that the Iridium theory seemed the most likely to me. It would 
be very unusual to see four meteors in such similar paths without any others in 
that area of the sky, whereas I have on a number of occasions seen a series of 
Iridium flares in a matter of minutes in a very similar area of the sky.  

>>   Also could you illuminate me on how you obtained your final image? Was it 
simply a stack of several individual images which each had a "meteor"? What 
were the individual times of those shots? Did you just add the foreground from 
one image (presumably the last one)? 

>>   Thanks.
 
>>   Bruce
>>   *****
 
 
> Quoting Tunc Tezel <canopia at yahoo.com>:
> 
> > Hello,
> 
> Further examination suggests they were iridium flares,
> not in the list of predictions by Heavens-above, but
> given by CalSky.
>  
> Nevertheless, there were 2 or 3 non-Perseids caught in
> my picture series, probably originating from Alpha
> Ursae Majoris.
> 
> And for the composition of the image, you got it about
> right. I registered the first four streaks according
> to the background stars they passed, on to the last
> one, which was a shorter exposure with better looking
> stars, start of twilight, milky way and zodiacal light.
> 
> Good day,
> 
> Tunç Tezel
> 11
> 188
> 351 days remaining...
> >