(meteorobs) Why don't more amateurs get it? (Meteors, that is.)

[Lew.Gramer at noaa.gov]

Chris, Wes, Joe, Arlene and Thomas - thanks to all of you for sharing your perspective!

I'm not sure I can agree with the statement that most people finding meteor observing "boring and uncomfortable"? It is definitely true that dedicated meteor observing requires learning, concentration, time and patience. But then, so does dedicated deep-sky observing - or for that matter, "serious" planetary observing. Deep sky, like meteors, will benefit immensely from having access to a dark site. And even planetary observing is greatly enhanced by access to that other rarity of our modern, pavement-happy urban life - a steady sky with good seeing.

All three areas of astronomy, deep-sky, planetary, and meteors all offer amateurs a chance to contribute to humanity's knowledge of the cosmos. And all three offer that evanescent "wow factor" we all cherish - as Chris points out in his post, when he mentions the energizing effect on the public that just one bright fireball can have!

However, unlike these other fields (both of which were very prominently featured by Ferris), amateur meteors does NOT require the amateur to first spend a great deal of money on specialized, tricky equipment. Which is good... right?


Yet at the risk of sounding cynical, that last point may actually be a reason - maybe one reason - why *US* amateurs in particular do not find meteors as exciting as these other areas. Namely, our "toys" are not nearly as shiny... No one gets excited about a lawn chair. But a gleaming new GOTO scope, on the other hand - a piece of equipment heavily advertised by its manufacturer, and therefore also heavily reviewed and photographed in the US amateur astronomy press - can be the subject of a whole club meeting or dark-site club trip, all by itself.

Perhaps video meteors and meteor photography are sub-fields that could overcome this perceived limitation of amateur meteor astronomy? If only we could get someone to start a business in the U.S., to develop (and advertise) an intensified video-meteor system with lots of flashing lights, and a shiny metal finish on the casing? Plus a software package to go with it, that lets you put together music-enhanced presentations of all your video fireball highlights for the local club?

And as Wes, Chris and others have pointed out, video meteors is an extremely fertile field for amateur science! Finally, who knows: maybe once a newcomer has exhausted their excitement with their new purchase of a gleaming "Video Meteortron 3000", they might even settle down on that lawn chair and do a little watching (and recording) as well. :)


With tongue planted firmly in cheek, I wish you all clear skies.

Lew