Catching Falling Stars

[abraxas]

Hopefully, tomorrow night will go better- I was limited to shooting with a d70, ISO 1600, f3.5, 30 sec. As far as I can tell, so far, this shot captured at least 4 at once but only two show. With the high iso any processing beyond this isn't worthwhile.

 

[LaFoto]

I don't think I could even manage to capture anything like THIS - at all. Ever, I mean! Therefore, congratulations, Walter.

The little red dots, what are they, where do they come from? Anyone knows (where is our plastic spanner when we need him!?! OK: PlasticSpanner! )

 

[uberben]

I going to guess the red dots are Sensor noise. I get them on my canon after about 30 minutes of shooting at iso 200

 

[abraxas]

Seems likely that it is sensor noise, shooting at a high iso (1600). I'm going back out tonight and trying with the d80 and a lower iso. Should be able to do some side by side comparisons with the d70 and the high iso at the same time. Fun stuff, sitting in the dark way out in the middle of nowhere.

 

[Alex_B]

i once eye-witnessed a fireball (a meteor which made it all the way through the atmosphere and hits the ground) at night. really great to watch ... boy i was angry at myself that my camera was not with me that night!!

 

[abraxas]

I've seen a lot of shooting stars while living here. Not from the house like I used to, there's so much light now days. But out in the deep desert there are still isolated areas that provide good viewing. I think tonight, or last night (I hope tonight) is the peak of the Leonid Meteor shower. Apparently an annual thing. I could of swore that it was always in August, but never really paid attention. It was brought up in this thread;

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63810

I had mentioned it a couple weeks ago when I shot a vapor trail from a falling star during the full moon out at el mirage dry lake;

http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63411

Was glad the event was brought up in the thread, I've been wanting to try something like that for a long time. Anyway, last night I saw probably about 30+ meteors between 11pm-2pm. Got to try again.

 

[astrostu]

Yes, the red dots are sensor noise.

Alex, a fireball is not a meteor that made it to the groud. A fireball is when a meteor explodes in the atmosphere due to internal/external pressures, causing it to suddenly increase in brightness. As far as I know, there's no special name for a meteor that makes it to the ground (other than it is now a meteorite).

An article from CNN about the Leonids, including when they should peak: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/11/17/leonid/index.html

 

[Alex_B]

Yes, the red dots are sensor noise.

Alex, a fireball is not a meteor that made it to the groud. A fireball is when a meteor explodes in the atmosphere due to internal/external pressures, causing it to suddenly increase in brightness. As far as I know, there's no special name for a meteor that makes it to the ground (other than it is now a meteorite).

An article from CNN about the Leonids, including when they should peak: http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/11/17/leonid/index.html

hmm, ok, i thought fireball refers to when the meteor gets at least deep into the atmosphere at a rather steep angle, so you can see it in flames an detail and hear its noise.

ok, as i am no expert i will describe it and you name it .. i saw a small meteor with a flame trail going down in what i thought to be less than a mile but it is hard to judge. The "diameter" of the flames was about the diameter of the moon on the sky / horizon. could be seen for about 3 seconds before it dissappeared between the hills.

 

[abraxas]

Double rats! Looks like I'm not going to get much of a showing. I need the practice anyhow, but I'd rather stay out late than get up early. The best time out here (west coast) according to the article is pre-dawn. Also, there is a photo of a fireball upper left of the page of the article astrostu posted;

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/space/11/17/leonid/index.html

I seen two of these last night, one within seconds after I arrived, and one when I was almost home. Oh well.