(meteorobs) For Jupiter meteor flash telescope - should I use filters?

[Chris Peterson]

I'd avoid any filters. While the thermal spectrum for a meteor peaks 
around 1 um (but only a shallow peak), meteors are only weak blackbody 
emitters. Most of the optical energy is found in emission lines 
associated with the medium they are ablating in, and with the meteor 
material itself. Those bands feature most of their lines at shorter 
wavelengths.

Jupiter itself is a not-quite-white continuum source. Any filters you 
use will only slightly reduce the light of Jupiter, but may 
significantly reduce the light of a meteor. So maximum contrast is 
likely to be achieved without any filtering.

(The exception might be a very narrowband filter looking for a specific 
emission line, but for that you'd probably need more energy than your 
small telescope can capture.)

Chris

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

On 12/29/2013 12:39 AM, Thomas Ashcraft wrote:
> I have begun to monitor Jupiter for meteor flashes using a 10" SCT
> telescope recording to video.
>
> I am wondering if anyone has advice or thoughts regarding possible
> filters. At the moment I am not using any filtering. It might seem like
> infrared would be useful but maybe it wouldn't be?  Not sure.
>
> Any suggestions or tips for optical detection of meteors striking
> Jupiter are welcome and I am thanking you in advance.
>
> Info on Jovian impact detection software here:
> http://www.astrosurf.com/planetessaf/doc/project_detect.shtml
>
> Thomas Ashcraft  -  Heliotown  -  New Mexico