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Re: (meteorobs) Info/help required for developing Leonid 99 film...

In a message dated 11/22/99 2:01:10 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
delpsurf@cistrondot nl writes:

> > 1. Buying a piggy-back mount to allow me to lock the camera to the barrel
>  of my ETX-90EC telescope. This would at least allow tracking.

That would give nice pin poin star images to your shots one you get polar 
aligning down pat ;-). 

>  > 2. Purchase of a camera (SLR) with motor drive, that allows (for example)
>  a
>  > 5 minute exposure, then automatically winds on to the next (5 minute)
>  > exposure. (This would allow complete unattended operation). Does anyone
>  > knows of a camera that allow such a function?

I've never heard of a camera with that option, but then again I haven't been 
looking for it.  ;-)
If you can't find one, a simple kitchen timer could suffice. What I do is to 
keep the camera with in reach (low) while I'm in the lounge chair. When the 
kitchen timer goes off just close the aperture, forward the film and hit the 
cable release to stat a new exposure again. With practice I've gotten it to 
only a few seconds. I then make a note on my tape recorder. The big thing to 
remember is to note what field your shooting. You'll think you'll remember, 
but it's tough as time goes by.

>  > 3. Purchase of a 20mm lens. Would this give sufficient coverage of the 
sky
>  > without going to a radical fisheye? What I did notice was that a 28mm 
lens
>  > simply didn't cover much of the sky, so it was just sheer luck that the
>  > camera happened to be pointing in the general direction of a Leonid a few
>  > times (well I hope it was anyway!).

I believe (just my opinion) that ALL meteor photography is sheer luck. I was 
shooting a Perseid or Geminid shower a year or so ago ( Wayne H. will 
remember) and I shot two rolls of film and got nothing. Another NJAA member 
with half a roll in his camera, and his first time shooting for a meteor,  
got a tremendous fireball... go figure.
But somewhere I think I remember reading that the wider the field of your 
lens, the brighter the meteor has to be to have it recorded on film - others 
will either back me up or correct me - so I think I would start off with the 
regualr 50mm f1.4 and try your luck. Since you will be piggy backing aim at a 
bright deep sky object so that if you don't catch a meteor at least you will 
have a nice pic of M31 or the Beehive, whatever.  Good luck

Kevin K
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