Setting up a Fireball Camera

Hi Michael,

I would concur with all that Mike has described. I have many years experience in using the first Watec cameras and fast lenses in particular the 902H. The lenses need to be as large a diameter as possible with as short an f ratio as possible. The camera needs to have a sensor as sensitive as possible. You'll then yield the best results. In my case I use multiple cameras (all 360 deg azimuth and one at zenith. Most serious meteor observers use multiple cameras. I believe Mike has covered tracking and plotting software.

The SBIG system is limited to one camera + lens to cover most of the sky. You would definitely record fireballs, but the fainter meteors, depending on your site location as regards light pollution constrains the yield, many would be lost in the noise of the optics + sensitivity of the sensor. The SBIG system is very expensive.

You be better off buying two cams and two lenses aiming them in the radiant direction for best results and achieve far better results at half the price.

Eamonn A

wwwkingslandobservatory.com

I am finally getting around to putting together a fireball camera.
A BIG thanks to Mike for all his help.
I have ordered the following:
- Watec 902H Camera 1/2 CCD Mono camera
- USB2.0 Video Frame grabber
- 20m length of shielded RG59 Video and Power combined CCTV cable
- Power supply
- Power supply splitter cables
- C-CS adapters
- Basic 12mm f1.4 1/2 auto-iris DC lens
(Will get a better lens in due course - good quality short focal length auto-iris fast 1/2" cctv lenses are like hen's teeth)
- Security camera housing

Once all the parts arrive and are put together, I'll keep you all posted.

Michael.

Nearly up and running now.
Some pictures of the setup:







Rather than getting a cheapo lens I decided to go for the good one; a Computar 12mm f0.8 auto-iris lens HG1208AFCS-HSP.
Now just have to wait for a clear night.

Michael.

Excellent!:rock:

Images from first metor capture:

Frames added toegther by capture software:



Trail Map



Ground Map relative to observer site:
(note, it is very short)


Regards,

Michael.

That’s really excellent Michael
Good image quality / good focus. It’s really exciting capturing your first meteor in this manner. I also think a certain astronomer from Armagh Observatory will be very pleased that another dedicated meteor patrol camera system will be operational and can contribute useful scientific data.
Over the coming weeks and months you will also capture bats in flight as well birds in flight and nesting on your expensive camera system, insects, lightning, large commercial airliners, light aircraft, helicopters, fireworks, iridium flares, artificial satellites including the ISS and Unknowns, but it’s all part of the fun!

Clear skies
Mike
I83 – Cherryvalley Observatory