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(meteorobs) Transmission Gratings
It has been depressing reading so many messages about bad weather!
Needless to say the UK has been just as bad. I was hoping to photograph
some Quadrantids -- ah well.
By the way does anyone know any good sources for large transmission
gratings in the 3 to 4 inch range. I am planning the construction of an
automated fireball spectrograph, and an automated all sky camera.
I have been passed a photograph taken by Henry Soper from the Isle of
Man of a Spectrum of a very bright (about -20) fireball which came
directly over Sunderland UK, in July 1995. It travelled West to East and
the sonic boom directly above my house shook the place so much I thought
a car had crashed through the front!
Sadly I did not see the event myself, just felt it! The only picture of
the fireball was Henry's sprectrogram. His companion all sky camera was
down with a fault.
The picture has inspired me to build my own camera.
I have used NOAO's UNIX software package called IRAF to extract a
spectrum from the photograph, but in order to complete a wavelength
calibration I will need to contact Henry to try an obtain a calibration
photograph of a low pressure Sodium lamp or a Mercury Vapour lamp. You
see street lighting does occasionally have a practical use! When I have
more info I will let you know my findings. To my knowledge Henry is not
connected by e-mail.
--
Jeff Lashley
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