Results of the IMO Video Meteor Network - October 2007
======================================================
The first video observations you find in the IMO Video Meteor Database are
from January 1993. During the Quadrantid maximum, the "legendary"
image-intensified video camera MOVIE recorded 49 meteors in 9 hours observing
time. Until the official start of the video network in March 1999, four AKM
observers had collected almost 5,000 meteors during major showers. The
100,000st meteors was recorded in August 2003, i.e. 11 years after the first
meteor (or 5 years if only the years of the camera network are counted).
Three years later, in July 2006, we reached 200,000 meteors, and the 300,000st
meteor was observed only 16 month later in October 2007. That's an amazing
development we really can be proud of, but on the other hand I hardly manage
anymore to check the consistency of all meteor records and to archive them by
the end of each month.
BTW, this anniversary just precedes my own jump over the 100,000 meteor limit,
from which I am now separated by no more than 1,500 meteors.
Last month could not keep up with the record-breaking October 2006, but with
1,900 hours of effective observing time and 11,500 meteors it still ranked
4th in the long-term statistics of the network. On the one hand, that is
thanks to a large number of observers (17 observers with 25 video cameras),
and on the other hand thanks to the good weather in the first half of the
month.
The proverbial "golden autumn" yielded many clear nights which were only
hampered by cirrus clouds and fog. Close to the Orionid maximum the weather
deteriorated, and between October 25 and 27 the rock bottom was reached. Even
though the camera networks spans several thousand kilometers between northern
and southern Europe, just one observer was able to catch a short cloud gap in
each of the three nights, respectively.
It comes as no surprise that the Orionids were the dominating shower last
month. Thanks to them, we recorded more than a thousand meteors on October
21/22 alone. However, this time two minor showers were in the focus of the
analysis.
The first one are the Draconids. Two Czech observers reported enhanced
activity of this shower on October 13, 18:30-19:30 UT, i.e. well apart from
the usual activity interval. Within one hour they observed six Draconids, as
reported in WGN. The evening before at about 23 UT, a Spanish observer
noticed "unusual activity" originating from about the same region in the sky.
The question was, whether these were just local random fluctuations, or
whether the video data would confirm the enhanced activity.
To keep it short: Our data showed no sign of enhanced activity. On October
12/13, the weather was not perfect at all. The shower assignment of those
78 meteors recorded by 7 cameras was as follows: 43 SPO, 14 ORI, 7 NTA,
5 TUM (tau Ursa Majorids), 4 STA, 4 EGE and only 1 GIA.
Weather was much better in the next night, such that 17 cameras were in
operation. On October 13/14, they recorded an overall of 588 meteors (actually
half of these were captured by the two intensified cameras AVIS2 and AKM2).
29 meteors were recorded in the time interval in question, with the following
shower assignments (in brackets the numbers for the whole night): 24 (358) SPO,
1 (63) STA, 0 (62) ORI, 1 (44) NTA, 0 (40) EGE, 2 (14) TUM and 1 (7) GIA.
It's no surprise that in the early evening hours there were hardly any
Orionids, epsilon Geminids and Taurids due to the low radiant altitude.
However, all cameras together recorded just a single Draconid between 18:30
and 19:30 UT.
The second shower that was analysed more closely is a possible candidate for a
new meteor shower that was noticed by Esko Lyytinen: the iota Cancrids (ICA).
On October 10/11, Esko and Ilkka Yrjola recorded in double station mode to
meteor pairs with almost identical radiants. Even though their orbits did
not fit well, Esko checked the list of radiants from my 2006 meteor shower
search (http://www.imonet.org/imc06/radiants.html). Between October 11 and
17 (solar longitude 198 to 203 degree) he found six individual radiants that
were not marked as a shower by me even though they fit quite well to each
other. Here are the details from the analysis:
Solar Longitude Right Ascension Declination Velocity Rel. Strength Meteors
[°] [°] [°] [km/s]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
198 128.5 27.5 58 8.73 65
199 133.5 25.5 58 7.98 83
200 131.5 29.0 63 13.50 117
201 132.1 29.5 62 15.48 76
202 133.3 29.5 60 11.24 53
203 133.2 32.0 62 10.23 89
The individual radiants show typical signs of a meteor shower like a small
drift and a clear activity profile with a maximum at October 15. It remained
to check, whether this potential meteor shower candidate was also observed
in 2007.
Fortunately, the nights surrounding the expected maximum were the best of
October with respect to the weather. Hence, we could collect a sufficient
data set of more than 5,000 meteors between October 10/11 and 19/20. The
meteor shower analysis revealed 2494 SPO, 1164 ORI, 274 EGE, 331 NTA, 467 STA,
192 TUM and 218 ICA. The following graphs show the activity profile over time.
The number of shower meteors was divided by the number of sporadics to
compensate for the variable observing time. For clarity, the activity profiles
were spread over two diagrams.
The first graph shows the rising Orionid activity towards the middle of
October, as well as approximately constant Taurid activity. The second graph
shows nearly the same activity level (not corrected for the different radiant
altitude and culmination time) for the epsilon Geminids and the tau Ursa
Majorids, which were discovered last year. The suspected new iota Cancrid
shower had the same level of activity. On October 12/13, it even outperformed
the Taurids and was the second strongest shower after the Orionids. However,
that activity peak is not significant as it is based on a small meteor number
only (9 ICA among 78 meteors).
Now it remains to see, whether the iota Cancrids are confirmed by other
observers as well.
1. Observers
============
Code Name Place Camera FOV LM Nights Time Meteors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR Benitez-S. Las Palmas TIMES4 (1.4/50) 20 dg 3 mag 11 32.4 h 130
TIMES5(0.95/50) 10 dg 3 mag 14 24.2 h 57
BRIBE Brinkmann Herne HERMINE (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 21 133.8 h 855
CASFL Castellani Monte Baldo BMH1 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 21 126.5 h 373
CRIST Crivello Valbrevenna STG38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 5 30.3 h 374
ELTMA Eltri Venezia MET38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 7 61.6 h 345
EVAST Evans Moreton RF1 (0.8/12) 25 dg 5 mag 10 71.6 h 469
HINWO Hinz Brannenburg AKM2 (0.85/25) 32 dg 6 mag 16 107.5 h 694
KACJA Kac Kostanjevec METKA (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 10 74.2 h 469
Kamnik REZIKA (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 18 85.3 h 580
Ljubljana ORION1 (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 23 116.7 h 628
KOSDE Koschny Noordwijkerh. ICC4 (0.85/25) 25 dg 3 mag 5 30.3 h 98
MOLSI Molau Seysdorf AVIS2 (1.4/50) 60 dg 6 mag 16 103.0 h 1708
MINCAM1 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 21 111.1 h 523
Ketzuer REMO1 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 23 105.9 h 739
ROBBI Roberto Verona FIAMENE (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 20 120.9 h 464
SLAST Slavec Ljubljana KAYAK1 (1.8/28) 50 dg 4 mag 4 16.6 h 51
STOEN Stomeo Scorze MIN38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 12 86.8 h 463
STRJO Strunk Herford MINCAM2 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 19 41.1 h 115
MINCAM3 (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 4 17.5 h 42
MINCAM5 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 7 37.9 h 129
STORO Stork Kunzak KUN1 (1.4/50) 55 dg 6 mag 1 6.5 h 94
Ondrejov OND1 (1.4/50) 55 dg 6 mag 1 9.7 h 110
TRIMI Triglav Velenje SRAKA (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 21 117.7 h 475
YRJIL Yrjola Kuusankoski FINEXCAM (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 13 92.0 h 614
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 30 1881.2 h 11534
2. Observing Times (h)
======================
Oct 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR - - - - - - - - - - - - 0.9 - 1.2
- - - - - 3.5 - 0.3 0.5 1.8 - 2.5 0.5 - 1.7
BRIBE - - - 5.5 9.7 9.9 11.0 - 1.3 1.0 - 0.5 11.0 11.0 1.2
CASFL 6.8 10.6 0.5 2.7 2.9 5.6 4.8 8.0 3.9 4.5 - 6.7 - 7.5 9.5
CRIST - - - - - - 1.3 - - - - - 7.3 1.8 -
ELTMA - - - - - - - 10.3 - - - - 3.7 - 10.7
EVAST - - - 9.9 5.5 - - - - 3.9 - - - - -
HINWO 10.1 - 2.0 1.1 - - 8.9 6.7 9.3 1.1 7.4 - 5.7 10.4 10.9
KACJA 8.0 8.2 5.6 6.3 - - 8.5 9.1 3.5 - - - 3.9 10.7 9.8
10.7 4.0 - - - - 11.0 0.7 - - - 3.8 - 11.8 9.1
4.7 1.3 4.4 - - - 1.8 4.8 0.6 - 1.3 - 0.7 11.0 10.1
KOSDE - - - - 2.8 9.9 9.9 - - 6.7 1.0 - - - -
MOLSI 7.0 - 1.9 1.0 3.6 4.4 10.1 10.4 5.9 5.4 9.4 - 10.5 10.6 10.2
2.8 - - 0.3 3.9 3.4 11.0 5.5 5.1 7.1 3.2 - 11.3 11.4 11.4
- 1.1 1.5 0.8 4.3 4.9 7.5 1.5 1.3 0.5 - 2.8 7.9 11.4 11.5
ROBBI 6.4 8.4 1.4 - - - - 9.0 5.5 8.5 5.6 7.2 3.1 7.6 9.6
SLAST - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STOEN - 10.1 - - - - 4.9 8.6 - - - - 3.8 6.9 10.8
STORO - - - - - - - 6.5 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - 9.7 - - - - - - -
STRJO - - - 3.7 4.7 5.8 2.2 - - 5.0 - - 4.7 11.0 -
- - - - 4.5 4.1 3.3 - - 4.0 - - 3.8 7.5 -
- - - - 7.2 8.9 4.3 - - 5.5 - - 3.9 7.7 0.5
TRIMI 7.3 7.0 5.0 5.5 - - 7.2 9.5 1.8 - 4.7 5.2 - 7.2 10.7
YRJIL - - - 3.5 - - - 4.2 4.9 9.7 1.9 - 10.9 - 3.8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 63.8 50.7 22.3 40.3 49.1 60.4107.7104.8 43.6 64.7 34.5 28.7 93.6145.5132.7
Oct 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR 0.3 0.7 - 3.4 - 3.3 8.8 6.5 5.8 0.5 - - - 1.0 - -
1.8 1.8 - 0.4 - - 1.5 6.2 0.5 - - - - 1.2 - -
BRIBE 6.4 5.0 2.5 10.4 2.2 12.3 12.4 3.0 0.8 - - - - - 11.7 5.0
CASFL 11.3 7.0 8.0 4.8 11.5 5.2 4.3 - 0.4 - - - - - - -
CRIST - - - - 10.1 9.8 - - - - - - - - - -
ELTMA 10.9 - 7.4 - 7.1 - - - - - - - - - - 11.5
EVAST - 10.9 10.0 11.1 - 3.2 4.7 - - - - - - 5.5 - 6.9
HINWO 10.9 3.6 - - - - - - - - - - 5.6 3.6 - 10.2
KACJA 10.2 8.2 - 8.0 3.0 - - - - - - - - 0.9 - 11.0
9.8 6.4 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 6.9
7.7 5.3 1.2 11.1 5.8 - - - - - - - 0.7 0.7 - 12.1
KOSDE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MOLSI 7.0 - 4.4 - 1.2 - - - - - - - - - - -
3.0 1.0 3.6 4.2 2.2 1.2 - - - - - - 1.6 9.1 - 8.8
7.6 1.6 3.2 7.4 - 8.5 6.4 0.7 - - - 0.7 6.5 - 6.3 -
ROBBI 7.7 - 7.7 5.9 4.7 4.8 2.8 - - - - - 5.9 2.0 - 7.1
SLAST 5.3 5.5 - - 2.0 - - - - - - - - - - 3.8
STOEN 10.8 - 10.7 1.5 - - - - - - - - 5.2 2.5 - 11.0
STORO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STRJO 1.5 0.8 1.0 10.9 - 10.9 8.7 - - - - - - - 7.0 -
- - - 11.0 - 7.9 7.9 1.2 - - - - - - 4.0 0.3
3.5 - 4.0 11.3 - 7.9 9.9 - - - - - - - 6.4 -
TRIMI 7.3 7.3 5.5 5.7 3.5 - - - 2.8 - 0.7 - 1.0 3.7 - 9.1
YRJIL - 10.5 - 6.4 11.4 11.1 11.6 - - - - - - - - 2.1
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 123.0 75.6 69.2113.5 64.7 86.1 79.0 17.6 10.3 0.5 0.7 0.7 26.5 30.2 35.4105.8
3. Results (Meteors)
====================
Oct 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR - - - - - - - - - - - - 2 - 3
- - - - - 7 - 1 2 3 - 6 1 - 5
BRIBE - - - 29 31 65 34 - 5 3 - 1 63 61 3
CASFL 18 18 1 7 5 13 10 16 5 9 - 15 - 30 28
CRIST - - - - - - 2 - - - - - 22 17 -
ELTMA - - - - - - - 38 - - - - 6 - 55
EVAST - - - 33 16 - - - - 17 - - - - -
HINWO 33 - 10 2 - - 51 33 49 11 31 - 32 101 130
KACJA 23 32 17 11 - - 38 34 6 - - - 7 64 64
38 22 - - - - 63 7 - - - 11 - 70 77
14 5 17 - - - 10 16 3 - 4 - 3 73 72
KOSDE - - - - 12 30 32 - - 22 2 - - - -
MOLSI 59 - 9 4 76 120 237 148 65 54 82 - 259 251 186
16 - 9 1 16 16 49 19 8 12 8 - 61 87 64
- 6 - 2 16 16 21 2 14 1 - 9 30 47 46
ROBBI 17 28 4 - - - - 23 11 15 19 26 7 28 34
SLAST - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STOEN - 51 - - - - 26 39 - - - - 8 49 55
STORO - - - - - - - 94 - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - 110 - - - - - - -
STRJO - - - 8 14 15 5 - - 10 - - 13 25 -
- - - - 15 14 9 - - 10 - - 17 29 -
- - - - 24 26 10 - - 15 - - 10 28 2
TRIMI 25 15 11 15 - - 19 28 5 - 9 10 - 22 44
YRJIL - - - 4 - - - 6 20 42 1 - 47 - 5
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 243 177 78 116 225 322 616 614 193 224 156 78 588 982 873
Oct 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR 3 3 - 11 - 16 36 34 12 5 - - - 5 - -
5 5 - 2 - - 2 12 2 - - - - 4 - -
BRIBE 33 11 12 96 8 156 158 10 2 - - - - - 57 17
CASFL 28 13 22 22 69 28 15 - 1 - - - - - - -
CRIST - - - - 156 177 - - - - - - - - - -
ELTMA 41 - 59 - 102 - - - - - - - - - - 44
EVAST - 73 82 93 - 24 59 - - - - - - 24 - 48
HINWO 84 10 - - - - - - - - - - 54 14 - 49
KACJA 54 22 - 88 24 - - - - - - - - 2 - 50
69 38 - - - - - - - - - - - - - 74
39 15 6 96 117 - - - - - - - 1 1 - 88
KOSDE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
MOLSI 77 - 64 - 17 - - - - - - - - - - -
8 6 20 51 5 3 - - - - - - 4 30 - 30
28 13 42 79 - 186 138 4 - - - 4 26 - 9 -
ROBBI 24 - 29 42 75 26 16 - - - - - 21 3 - 16
SLAST 13 13 - - 11 - - - - - - - - - - 14
STOEN 44 - 78 4 - - - - - - - - 27 4 - 78
STORO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STRJO 5 2 3 46 - 65 61 - - - - - - - 16 -
- - - 59 - 77 98 5 - - - - - - 13 1
14 - 9 115 - 217 174 - - - - - - - 34 -
TRIMI 35 17 50 68 16 - - - 29 - 4 - 3 7 - 43
YRJIL - 26 - 18 132 178 131 - - - - - - - - 4
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 604 267 476 890 732 1153 888 65 46 5 4 4 136 94 129 556
Sirko Molau, 2007/11/22