Leonid Meteor Shower 2009

*cdurfor* · 11-03-2009, 05:25 PM

The Leonid Meteor Shower 2009 is November 17th.

After all the great comments I saw on photographing fireworks, I'd love to see insight on shooting a meteor shower.

*Wheatfield* · 11-03-2009, 08:48 PM

Dress warmly.

*cdurfor* · 11-04-2009, 10:22 AM

OK here's a start, but I would love some first hand experience...

Meteor Photography Tips
from astrophotographer Doug Murray
Meteor Photography Tips

Meteor Photography
METEOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Meteor Photography Tips
Astrophotography Tips Meteor Photography Tips - Perseid Meteor Showers Astrophotography

lithos · 11-04-2009, 10:47 AM

Wish I had a tripod...I was watching the Orionids go over the last few weeks.

*wildlifephotog* · 11-05-2009, 05:42 AM

You could use a DIY bean bag to support the camera for the long exposures.
You would want to be pointing just off center from the radiant.

*graphicgr8s* · 11-06-2009, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by Wheatfield

Dress warmly.

In Florida?

*PrimeObjectif* · 11-06-2009, 03:46 PM

Originally Posted by graphicgr8s

In Florida?

ESPECIALLY in Florida. :P

*wildlifephotog* · 11-11-2009, 06:03 AM

Here is the latest NASA perdictions for the 17th.

NASA -The 2009 Leonid Meteor Shower

*Ratmagiclady* · 11-11-2009, 03:23 PM

I have to admit, that this is one sort of thing for which, if I'm in a good place for good photography, photography isn't what's on my mind.

More like wrap up in a couple of cloaks and lie back and watch.

Eruditass · 11-11-2009, 03:54 PM

Originally Posted by wildlifephotog

You could use a DIY bean bag to support the camera for the long exposures.
You would want to be pointing just off center from the radiant.

What is the radiant and how do you determine where that is?

*wildlifephotog* · 11-11-2009, 04:09 PM

The radiant is the constellation Taurus. The showers are named for the constellation they appear to radiate from.
Taurus is almost straight up at midnight.

The leonids appear to come from Leo. If you register with Sky & Telescope, they have a chart that you can program for your location. That way you can see where Leo is at midnight on the 17th.
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/

*cdurfor* · 11-11-2009, 07:50 PM

many thanks

For this wonderful information. Best of luck to all....

*LeoTaylor* · 11-11-2009, 08:26 PM

I enjoyed the link on using a film camera for meteors, especially the line about the developer saying the film didn't have anything on it.

I've heard that many times. Once I was having larger reprints of a film I already KNEW had stars and a galaxy yet the developer said she wasted lots of paper printing my, "empty roll of film."

Back to using a DSLR for meteors. Not easy, but do-able, I may try myself if the weather is clear. I'd suggest an advance test to find how long you can keep the shutter open without overwhelming noise, in my light polluted location that is about 2-4 minutes. Take several test shots in a row, the noise will increase with time. though if you are in a cool climate like me that will help.

On the designated night aim the camera with wide lens either:

a. Toward the shoulders of Leo (Constellation is named after me). This will show meteors going outward in all directions if you are lucky.

b. Toward the West of Leo since he will be just rising in the East after midnight.

c. Toward the darkest direction if Leo is near a light source but don't go more than 90 degrees away.

You will need to take a lot of exposures of the time determined above if you want to catch a few meteors bright enough for the camera to catch. Remember, the meteor lasts a couple of seconds out of a several minute exposure thus most will be dim. A timer or computer program can be used to sequence the camera. Or, you can put the camera in continuous mode and lock the remote on. The camera will go as fast as it can, allowing for time to do NR if used and store the shot.

You must decide if you want to use NR which will greatly reduce noise at the cost of only having 50% duty cycle. If a bright one goes by while the NR is taking a dark frame you are out of luck. You could take your own darks later on if you know how to process them.

Focusing: It is hard to focus a wide angle lens on stars, they are too small to see through the viewfinder. Try and find a bright enough object to focus on manually (Capella, Mars, Jupiter if still up). Fortunately short focal lengths are not as sensitive to focusing at infinity.

Confession: I've had little luck imaging meteors.

*jezza323* · 11-11-2009, 09:38 PM

id love to be able to go try taking some shots of this, but due to it occurring from 2am local time till 4am, on a work day, and the amount of light pollution where i live, it would mean leaving home at 1am just to go see it!

but im still tempted...

*Ratmagiclady* · 11-13-2009, 01:52 PM

Here's a question in the abstract. What WB would you suggest for Jpegs, if you wanted to try and get some color from the stars/planets? (I presume if I got ambitious enough to try, I'd have RAW on and try to get it out of a pretty thin exposure) This is one area I've never really tried, but the sky was so uncharacteristically-for-the city clear here after Ida's remnants passed through, I've been seeing the colors the past couple of nights. (Looks like Mars, for one, is right there. Brings my attention to the rest.)

I doubt I'll actually try it, (though I suppose I could do the blanket/cloak thing and use the remote, if I wanted.) But I've been looking up when most of the lights right around here are out, and wondering how I'd do it.