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wildlifephotog · 11-17-2009, 12:18 PM

That number was predicted for the asian area of viewing.
20-30 per hour would be about right for the USA.

Stringmike · 11-17-2009, 12:34 PM

I'm also an amateur astronomer and live in a fairly dark site north of Scottsdale.

I was out from about midnight to 2 am and saw one decent fireball descending low on the eastern horizon. I set up my K10 and K20 with wide-angle lenses and took a bunch of shots (the k20 with 30 second exposures on the internal intervalometer - the K10 manually operated on bulb with noise reduction off).

I let the K20 run till 3:30 am. The results - three aircraft, no Leonids!

It was cold!

Mike

wildlifephotog · 11-17-2009, 12:45 PM

It usually takes a lot of photos to catch one meteor during a normal shower.

Stringmike · 11-17-2009, 02:27 PM

I exposed continuously for about an hour and a half with two cameras and then sampled every thirty seconds per minute for the next 100 minutes with the K20 on automatic. I totaled around 250 shots. I don't have the best view to the east from my house and the ambient light was higher than I like, limiting the exposure to capture only the brighter meteors. However, I'm still surprised I didn't get even one - I've had better success than that in the past.

Here's a 30-second automatic exposure from the K20 at ISO 800 with Zenitar wide open.

Mike

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

wildlifephotog · 11-17-2009, 02:57 PM

At Harvard they have several hundred thousand photo plates. In an 8 year search of the plates they found 600 meteors on the photographs. And this is with cameras pointed to many areas of the sky at once.
This why shooting during the shower period ups the odds in your favor.

**Ex Finn.** · 11-17-2009, 03:20 PM

I was out from 0342 to 0514, had six visual and 5 captures out of 300 plus shots, none worth a darn.
Better luck next time.

Cheers, Mike.

mickeyobe · 11-17-2009, 04:08 PM

This was posted this morning on The Camera Collector, another site of which I am a member.

Mickey

It is now 3:43 am.

My Pentax K100d is set up on a tripod, pointing out my office window at a cloudless north west sky.
Manual focus set at infinity. Wide open at f3.5. Focal length at 28mm. Shutter at Bulb.
All the lights have been turned off.
The window is open even though it is only -1 degree celcius.

Killer, my son's cat has inspected and approved everything.

I am ready for what the meteorologists are calling a meteor shower.
I have seen one meteorite since I started my vigil 45 minutes ago.
If this is a shower I wonder what a downpour looks like.

I was going to post a picture but black on black --- the contrast was not acceptable.

Nuts! I'm going back to bed. I'll get my shower in the morning.

Well, just one more look. Okay - observation.

Mickey

Das Boot · 11-17-2009, 05:08 PM

Well at least I don't feel as bad. I set the alarm for 3:30. I got up excited... new moon... not supposed to rain... stuck my head out the door with camera and gear to let it adjust to the temperature and nothing but low clouds. Crap! ---I went back to bed.

Classvino · 11-18-2009, 02:03 PM

Originally posted by LeoTaylor

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

Looking at the distance scale on my lens, I'd think that if you had to focus at anything less than infinity for any of the objects you mention, you'd have way more important things to worry about than a poorly focused picture...

**LeoTaylor** · 11-22-2009, 07:43 PM

Originally posted by Classvino

Looking at the distance scale on my lens, I'd think that if you had to focus at anything less than infinity for any of the objects you mention, you'd have way more important things to worry about than a poorly focused picture...

Somehow we are not communicating. I've always said focusing was important and difficult to do for astrophotography. What I was trying to say is with a wide angle lens it is easier to focus at infinity than a telephoto or telescope. With my 2000mm telescope the tiniest error will render the photo useless. With my 17mm prime I can just set the dial on the infinity mark if I'm unable to find a bright enough object to focus properly.

BTW: The meteor shower was a washout at my location. Onward to the Geminids in December. I'd like to enjoy ONE shower this year!

11-17-2009, 12:34 PM	#32
Stringmike Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Arizona Posts: 283	Not many in Arizona I'm also an amateur astronomer and live in a fairly dark site north of Scottsdale. I was out from about midnight to 2 am and saw one decent fireball descending low on the eastern horizon. I set up my K10 and K20 with wide-angle lenses and took a bunch of shots (the k20 with 30 second exposures on the internal intervalometer - the K10 manually operated on bulb with noise reduction off). I let the K20 run till 3:30 am. The results - three aircraft, no Leonids! It was cold! Mike

11-17-2009, 03:20 PM	#36
Ex Finn. Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Southern Maryland. Espoo. Kouvola. Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,975	I was out from 0342 to 0514, had six visual and 5 captures out of 300 plus shots, none worth a darn. Better luck next time. Cheers, Mike. Last edited by Ex Finn.; 11-17-2009 at 05:40 PM. Reason: Too tired to read proper time of last exposure.

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11-17-2009, 12:18 PM	#31
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	That number was predicted for the asian area of viewing. 20-30 per hour would be about right for the USA.

11-17-2009, 12:45 PM	#33
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	It usually takes a lot of photos to catch one meteor during a normal shower.

11-17-2009, 02:57 PM	#35
wildlifephotog Inactive Account Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: USA Posts: 924	At Harvard they have several hundred thousand photo plates. In an 8 year search of the plates they found 600 meteors on the photographs. And this is with cameras pointed to many areas of the sky at once. This why shooting during the shower period ups the odds in your favor.

11-17-2009, 04:08 PM	#37
mickeyobe Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada Posts: 1,759	This was posted this morning on The Camera Collector, another site of which I am a member. Mickey It is now 3:43 am. My Pentax K100d is set up on a tripod, pointing out my office window at a cloudless north west sky. Manual focus set at infinity. Wide open at f3.5. Focal length at 28mm. Shutter at Bulb. All the lights have been turned off. The window is open even though it is only -1 degree celcius. Killer, my son's cat has inspected and approved everything. I am ready for what the meteorologists are calling a meteor shower. I have seen one meteorite since I started my vigil 45 minutes ago. If this is a shower I wonder what a downpour looks like. I was going to post a picture but black on black --- the contrast was not acceptable. Nuts! I'm going back to bed. I'll get my shower in the morning. Well, just one more look. Okay - observation. Mickey

11-17-2009, 05:08 PM	#38
Das Boot Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Sparkle City, South Cackalacky Photos: Gallery Posts: 689	Well at least I don't feel as bad. I set the alarm for 3:30. I got up excited... new moon... not supposed to rain... stuck my head out the door with camera and gear to let it adjust to the temperature and nothing but low clouds. Crap! ---I went back to bed.

11-18-2009, 02:03 PM	#39
Classvino Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 132	Originally posted by LeoTaylor 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 Looking at the distance scale on my lens, I'd think that if you had to focus at anything less than infinity for any of the objects you mention, you'd have way more important things to worry about than a poorly focused picture...

11-22-2009, 07:43 PM	#40
LeoTaylor Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Connecticut Photos: Gallery Posts: 679	Originally posted by Classvino Looking at the distance scale on my lens, I'd think that if you had to focus at anything less than infinity for any of the objects you mention, you'd have way more important things to worry about than a poorly focused picture... Somehow we are not communicating. I've always said focusing was important and difficult to do for astrophotography. What I was trying to say is with a wide angle lens it is easier to focus at infinity than a telephoto or telescope. With my 2000mm telescope the tiniest error will render the photo useless. With my 17mm prime I can just set the dial on the infinity mark if I'm unable to find a bright enough object to focus properly. BTW: The meteor shower was a washout at my location. Onward to the Geminids in December. I'd like to enjoy ONE shower this year!

Leonid Meteor Shower 2009

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