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(meteorobs) Meteor spectroscopy using a reflection grating



    For those interested in meteor spectroscopy I would like to draw your
attention to a very interesting paper published in the Journal of the
British Astronomical Association, 109, 4, 1999, "High resolution spectra and
monochromatic images of a flaring 1991 Perseid meteor", by David Airey.
David Airey used a large, 105 X 105 mm reflection grating with a ruling
density of 2400 lines/mm on a F-2.5 - 178 mm f.l. aero Ektar lens producing
a high dispersion of 17A/mm.  Normal meteor spectrographs use transmission
type diffraction gratings with ruling densities of 80 to 600 lines/mm.
Higher ruling densities result in a drop in efficiency so if high dispersion
is required the grating must be mounted on a longer focal length lens.  The
use of a high ruling density reflection grating is a unique idea that gets
around this problem.  From an amateurs point of view the biggest difficulty
will be finding such a large reflection grating at reasonable cost.
Unfortunately they are expensive if ordered new.

Ed Majden - AMS Meteor Spectroscopy

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