(meteorobs) Optimized filters for daytime fireball video capture?

[Chris Peterson]

I don't think a filter will help. The light from a meteor is effectively 
broadband, so any filter will reduce the signal. A polarizing filter might 
help by increasing contrast in some parts of the sky, but it will also 
result in some loss of signal.

You ought to be able to record any fireball in daylight (that is, a meteor 
brighter than mag -4). I am able to see Venus in the daytime with my camera, 
but only when I use a manual iris. The normal autoiris stops down too far, 
even if the Sun is blocked.

I'd definitely use a solar occultation disc if you want to try daytime 
fireball detection. They are very simple to make.

Chris

*****************************************
Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas Ashcraft" <ashcraft at heliotown.com>
To: "Global Meteor Observing Forum" <meteorobs at meteorobs.org>
Sent: Monday, May 25, 2009 9:13 AM
Subject: (meteorobs) Optimized filters for daytime fireball video capture?


>I am wondering if anyone has experimented with infrared or any other
> special optical filters that would be *optimum* for detecting daytime
> fireballs? I am wondering if a filter could be made specifically for the
> wavelengths of meteor burn signatures so as to make the meteors visible
> in the midst of a bright daylight sky?
>
> I have used a red filter for my own all-sky video camera and have tried
> to detect daytime fireballs at times of forward scatter radio receptions
> when I knew that fireballs were above in my local daylight sky but I
> have been unsuccessful at distinguishing any meteors thus far. Hence, I
> wonder at filter and wavelength optimization.
>
> Has this been worked on?
>
> Thanks in advance for any information or thoughts on the subject.
>
> Thomas Ashcraft  /  New Mexico