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(meteorobs) Video camera meteor recording.
I have been following the thread on using video cameras of the
surveillance type for recording meteors. Before you go out and buy one, I
would caution you that they have limited use for meteor work. They are just
not sensitive enough to record faint meteors. If you want to do this you
must use an image intensifier. The Sandia all-sky camera uses a
surveillance type camera for fireball patrol work. It is mounted above an
18 inch diameter convex mirror turning it into 180 degree+ coverage but it
will only record meteors brighter than -3.0 magnitude or so. For tracking
fireballs, this is fine. It does have its own problems however, as it will
not record background stars which are required to determined accurate
elevation positions of a fireball. Smaller fields of view will record
fainter meteors but only in the +1 or +2 magnitude range. An image
intensified camera will record meteors as faint as +6 magnitude and even
fainter if you have a good intensifier and use a fast lens. Unfortunately
new intensifiers are expensive. If your lucky, you may find a good one on
the surplus market or on eBay at much less cost. You should look for a 2nd
or 3rd generation intensifier. For anyone living outside of the USA, you
have another problem to contend with. Export restrictions have been placed
on some US manufactured intensifiers and most companies will not export
them. Check this out first.
Ed Majden - AMS Spectroscopy Project Coordinator
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