(meteorobs) Video Lyrids from Southern California April 22, 2008 UT

[Ernie Iverson]

On Tuesday morning I recorded approximately 1.5 hours (7:03 to 8:37 UT) of the Lyrid meteor shower from Carson, California (33.83 N, -118.26 W).  I used a Watec 902H2 Ultimate camera, an 8 mm, f 0.8 lens (44.9 x 34.0 deg. field of view), and a Sony Video Walkman to make the recording.  Each video frame was time stamped using a KIWI OSD video time inserter.  The video limiting magnitude was 5.85 (IMO field 16).  A quick review of the tape reveled 9 meteors (7 Lyrids and 2 sporadic) captured in the 42 minutes between 7:29 and 8:11 UT.  In the 23 minutes before and the 30 minutes after this period the camera did not capture a meteor event.  This is probably not unusual but certainly a curious.  Note both of these time periods were reviewed a second time for any missed events.  Plotting confirmed that 7 of the 9 meteors were Lyrids.  Magnitude estimates are: -3 = 1, -2 = 2, +2 = 1, +3 = 1, and +4 = 2.


Best Wishes,
Ernie Iverson