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(meteorobs) Project: Shooting Stars

Dear Mr. Hodges:
        I have read with interest, your posting to the meteorobs newsgroup.
Your name, in particular caught my attention.  Back in the 1950's when I was
a student member of the Regina Astronomical Society in Saskatchewan, I was
first introduced to meteor studies by a John V. Hodges, then director of the
RAS Observatory.  He, I understand, has unfortunately passed away a number
of years ago.  John served with No.6 Bomber Group, aircrew, RCAF, ending his
term as a Flight Sergeant at the end of the War.
        John got me interested in meteor spectroscopy.  He infact obtained a
couple of the early prism meteor spectra on Dr. Peter M. Millman's World
List of Meteor Spectra. One in 1955 and another in 1956.  A meteor spectrum
provides more information about a single meteor than any other method of
observation. Generally, rather expensive precision replica transmission
gratings are used as objective dispersive elements.  It may be a bit late to
suggest this for the Leonids but have you considered spectroscopy?  I have
experimented with an inexpensive thin film type 750 l/mm holographic grating
available from Learning Technologies Inc in the US.  When placed infront of
a normal camera lens the spectra of very bright meteors will be recorded,
around -3 magnitude and brighter.  Analysis of the spectra is rather complex
and will have to be done by professionals specializing in this study.  Good
spectra are of interest to them so they are interested in examining spectra
obtained by amateurs.  The best will probably be selected for measurement.
During the last Leonid event in 1966 several Leonid spectra were secured by
a Canadian meteor astronomer, Dr. Ian Halliday and a group in Japan.  It
would be important to get more spectra from this shower.

Best regards: Ed
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Edward Majden                         epmajden@mars.ark.com
1491 Burgess Road                     Meteor Spectroscopy
Courtenay, B.C.                       AMS Affiliate
CANADA  V9N-5R8                       MIAC Associate
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