Results of the IMO Video Meteor Network - August 2009
=====================================================
Even if I risk to write every month the same, I have to begin the new report
with the following summary: The previous month was again record-breaking.
In August 2009 we beat all previous records of the IMO network at once.
At first, we could welcome a new observer in the video network. Hans Schremmer
is operating the "standard setup" (Mintron camera, Computar 0.8/3.8 mm lens)
in Niederkruechten in West Germany, close to the Dutch border. With 26 nights,
his first result was indeed respectable.
Detlef Koschny has started to operate another image-intensified camera dubbed
LIC1. He selected the same Philips XX-1332 intensifier tube as other
observers, and he could demonstrate its abilities in the Perseid maximum
nights.
Overall, 23 observers operated 38 video cameras in August 2009. Contrary to
previous years, the weather was largely cooperative in central Europe. Most
observers obtained long sequences of observing nights, and in a few nights
more than thirty cameras were in operation. The excellent weather also
reflects in the fact, that 22 of the cameras recorded meteors in twenty or
more nights. Stefano Crivello was on top of the list - he did not miss a
single night with C3P8.
In general, the Italian observers were remarkably strong. In the previous
few months it became already clear, that their cameras are exceptionally
sensitive and record more meteors than other cameras with identical setup.
In August 2009 the difference was in particular obvious. For the first
time, the three most successful cameras that recorded most meteors were not
image-intensified! Maybe the circumstances were a bit unusual, because the
Perseids suffered strongly from the waning moon that affected intensified
cameras much stronger than wide-angle non-intensified cameras. Still,
the result was remarkable.
Let me now briefly reiterate the current records before I come to the summary
of August 2009. With respect to effective observing time, October 2008
(2,761h), July 2009 (2,710h) and January 2009 (2,559h) were on top of the
list. Last month, however, we could surpass that by more than 50% with almost
4,200 hours of effective observing time. To date, we never recorded more
meteors than in October 2008 (17,000), August 2007 (15,100) and August
2008 (14,400). In August 2009 it was more than 28,500 meteors, which is an
increase of two third!
One thing became clear during the analysis of the observations: The current
method of manually collecting and checking the data set cannot cope with such
an amount of data. Early 2010 latest, we will start to use the Virtual Meteor
Observatory (VMO) for data collection, which has a number of consistency
checks build-in. Then I can focus on new observers with less experience and
will do only random checks of the other observations.
The detailed analysis of the August 2009 data was focused on the Perseids
again. As in previous years, several maxima were predicted from dust trail
analyses. The IMO QuickLook analysis of visual data confirmed three maxima
(12.8., 8:15 UT, 18:15 UT; 13.8., 6:30 UT). The analysis of our video data
was in particular demanding for two reason: On the one hand, the waning moon
disturbed observations in the second half of night significantly reducing
the meteor counts. On the other hand, there were only few sites with
continuously clear skies. Often, clouds patches drifted through the field
of view, rendering the data of these cameras useless for an activity analysis.
The results presented here (figure 1) are based on Perseid counts in 30 minute
intervals, which were corrected for the radiant altitude and averaged over
all cameras enjoying longer spells of clear skies. For comparison, the
visual ZHR taken from the QuickLook analysis of IMO is given as well. It
becomes clear, that all three maxima occurred outside the European observing
window. The increase in rates on August 11/12 is noticeable just as the
decreasing rates in the evening of August 12 after the 18:15 UT peak. The
following increasing in the morning hours of August 13 is not visible, though,
probably because the moon reduced the limiting magnitude. In the following
night, the show was already over.
Figure 1: Comparison of the activity graph obtained from video data (bars)
with the preliminary ZHR from the IMO QuickLook analysis (dots).
Finally, I would like to present the picture of an unusual double
Perseid recorded by my own camera MINCAM1 on August 8, 01:33 UT. In the past,
we recorded already double meteors flying in parallel, but this time they
appeared directly one after the other (figure 2). The corresponding video
sequence shows, that the relative distance between the two objects increased
by 70% in those 0.8s they were visible both. If the meteors are interpolated
back linearly, their trails overlap roughly 0.8s before the first meteor
entered the field of view. Hence, these are probably not two meteoroids that
burned up independently in the atmosphere, but one larger meteoroid. It broke
apart when entering the atmosphere, and both fragments experienced a different
deceleration.
Figure 2: Sequence of a double Perseid, recorded by MINCAM1 on
August 8, 2009, 01:31 UT.
1. Observers
============
Code Name Place Camera FOV LM Nights Time Meteors
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR Benitez-S. Las Palmas TIMES5 (0.95/50) 10 dg 3 mag 12 25.7 h 72
BRIBE Brinkmann Herne HERMINE (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 28 156.8 h 911
CASFL Castellani Monte Baldo BMH1 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 16 94.4 h 414
BMH2 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 18 92.6 h 387
CRIST Crivello Valbrevenna C3P8 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 31 209.3 h 1862
STG38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 14 104.2 h 364
ELTMA Eltri Venezia MET38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 26 170.7 h 1035
GONRU Goncalves Tomar TEMPLAR1 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 27 197.1 h 1368
TEMPLAR2 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 25 171.5 h 781
GOVMI Govedic Sredisce ORION2 (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 24 154.0 h 891
HERCA Hergenroth. Tucson SALSA (1.2/4) 80 dg 3 mag 9 32.6 h 74
SALSA2 (1.2/4) 80 dg 3 mag 8 36.4 h 91
HINWO Hinz Brannenburg AKM2 (0.85/25) 32 dg 6 mag 20 118.2 h 668
IGAAN Igaz Hodmezozovas. HUHOD (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 19 122.4 h 708
JOBKL Jobse Oostkapelle BETSY2 (1.2/85) 25 dg 7 mag 24 139.8 h 1599
KACJA Kac Kostanjevec METKA (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 23 127.5 h 432
Ljubljana ORION1 (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 27 154.0 h 645
Kamnik REZIKA (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 13 55.9 h 541
STEFKA (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 15 55.4 h 287
KOSDE Koschny Noordwijkerh. LIC1 (1.4/50) 60 dg 6 mag 2 6.9 h 596
TEC1 (1.4/12) 30 dg 4 mag 10 39.7 h 133
LUNRO Lunsford Chula Vista BOCAM (1.4/50) 60 dg 6 mag 20 107.3 h 870
MOLSI Molau Seysdorf AVIS2 (1.4/50) 60 dg 6 mag 19 84.9 h 1640
MINCAM1 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 29 142.9 h 935
Ketzuer REMO1 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 19 101.5 h 543
REMO2 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 21 105.8 h 916
OCHPA Ochner Albiano ALBIANO (1.2/4.5) 68 dg 3 mag 28 148.6 h 647
SCHHA Schremmer Niederkr. DORAEMON (0.8/3.8)80 dg 3 mag 26 138.1 h 616
SLAST Slavec Ljubljana KAYAK1 (1.8/28) 50 dg 4 mag 14 49.0 h 92
STOEN Stomeo Scorze MIN38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 27 182.5 h 1953
NOA38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 27 170.3 h 1252
SCO38 (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 27 175.6 h 1899
STORO Stork Ondrejov OND1 (1.5/50) 55 dg 6 mag 3 21.2 h 625
STRJO Strunk Herford MINCAM2 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 28 121.8 h 543
MINCAM3 (0.8/8) 42 dg 4 mag 23 108.2 h 504
MINCAM5 (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 25 131.9 h 857
TEPIS Tepliczky Budapest HUMOB (0.8/3.8) 80 dg 3 mag 9 54.2 h 323
YRJIL Yrjola Kuusankoski FINEXCAM (0.8/6) 55 dg 3 mag 23 86.8 h 503
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Overall 31 4195.7 h 28577
2. Observing Times (h)
======================
Aug 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR - - - - - - - 1.2 1.0 2.5 3.2 5.5 2.0 2.0 3.5
BRIBE 4.3 3.7 7.4 6.4 6.6 6.0 - - 0.3 - 2.3 3.5 1.5 7.0 7.7
CASFL - - - - - - - - - 3.3 6.1 7.1 1.3 - -
- - - - - - - - 0.2 2.4 6.9 6.4 0.7 - -
CRIST 6.8 0.3 7.0 7.5 7.5 7.6 3.5 7.7 7.6 1.1 7.8 7.6 8.0 8.0 8.1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ELTMA 6.9 7.0 - 7.0 7.1 5.0 5.7 3.4 7.2 3.4 7.5 7.4 - 7.8 8.0
GONRU 8.0 7.5 7.9 - 4.8 2.8 - - - 8.3 8.3 8.2 7.8 7.8 8.4
5.8 6.4 5.6 - 3.1 1.0 - - - 8.3 8.3 8.2 7.8 7.8 8.2
GOVMI 7.3 - - - 7.8 7.0 6.8 - 5.0 - 6.0 4.0 - 7.1 7.0
HERCA 6.3 3.4 3.5 0.8 - - - 4.8 - - - - - - -
- 5.3 5.9 0.8 - - - 6.8 - - - - - - -
HINWO 4.8 - - - 5.0 6.6 5.0 - 5.4 - - 5.6 - 5.1 3.5
IGAAN 7.0 4.8 3.8 - 3.5 8.0 7.7 7.7 3.5 - 7.0 7.2 5.0 4.0 -
JOBKL - 4.6 5.8 3.9 5.2 3.6 - 6.2 6.2 - 6.3 4.1 6.5 6.5 6.7
KACJA 7.4 6.6 - - 2.8 4.0 3.7 2.4 - - - 7.3 - 6.9 7.2
4.4 6.3 - 2.6 7.6 7.6 7.7 2.7 6.6 - 6.3 2.4 - 6.5 8.0
- 4.4 - - 4.4 4.3 - - - - 5.7 - - - -
- - - - 6.6 4.6 - 1.1 - - 5.7 - - - 7.7
KOSDE - - - - - - - - - - 4.1 2.8 - - -
- 2.8 4.9 - 5.1 3.4 - 4.6 5.8 - 3.2 - - - -
LUNRO 4.0 1.9 2.0 - - 7.3 - 8.4 3.1 - - 4.0 - - -
MOLSI 4.4 4.7 - 4.6 1.0 - - 1.4 - - 1.1 0.1 - 4.6 5.8
2.6 6.0 - 3.3 6.2 6.3 6.6 1.4 4.4 2.2 1.0 4.9 0.3 5.7 7.8
6.2 - 6.3 - 6.3 6.4 4.4 5.1 4.6 - 1.8 3.5 7.0 5.7 7.1
4.6 - 6.3 6.3 6.3 6.4 4.4 6.6 4.6 0.3 1.8 3.4 7.1 6.6 7.1
OCHPA 8.1 2.5 - 8.2 8.2 1.6 1.6 0.6 1.7 3.9 8.2 7.5 2.1 4.9 1.2
SCHHA 0.9 4.0 6.7 6.4 5.9 7.1 - 3.0 - - 5.6 1.6 - 8.1 5.2
SLAST 2.0 - - - - - - - 1.7 - 3.2 - - - 7.3
STOEN 7.2 7.2 - 6.5 5.8 5.3 1.5 2.2 7.6 4.5 7.6 7.4 - 7.3 7.9
7.2 7.2 - 7.3 5.8 5.0 0.5 1.2 7.6 4.0 7.7 7.4 - 7.4 7.9
7.2 7.2 - 7.3 5.2 5.4 0.5 1.6 7.1 5.1 7.6 7.3 - 7.3 7.9
STORO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STRJO 2.3 - 1.0 3.3 6.1 4.1 2.8 - 0.5 - 1.0 3.3 6.6 4.4 6.8
- - 5.7 4.9 6.0 5.7 2.3 - - - - 3.4 5.5 4.2 5.8
4.9 - 5.6 5.8 4.9 3.7 3.3 - - - 1.7 2.7 5.7 5.1 6.1
TEPIS 3.2 - - - - - - - - - 4.4 - - - -
YRJIL - - - - 3.1 2.1 2.7 1.7 3.9 3.9 4.2 1.0 4.5 4.1 4.8
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 133.8103.8 85.4 92.9147.9137.9 70.7 81.8 95.6 53.2151.6144.8 79.4151.9172.7
Aug 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR 2.0 1.0 1.0 - - - 0.8 - - - - - - - - -
BRIBE 6.4 8.3 8.4 6.3 0.3 4.5 7.5 7.7 2.4 4.8 8.9 4.8 6.1 6.3 9.2 8.2
CASFL - 7.0 5.1 6.1 - 6.3 5.2 - 5.9 5.5 4.0 8.3 7.6 - 6.8 8.8
- 7.2 5.4 5.1 - 6.3 3.8 2.9 8.4 3.7 3.2 8.3 5.6 - 8.8 7.3
CRIST 8.1 8.2 8.2 7.3 7.2 6.8 3.2 7.4 6.4 6.0 8.6 8.7 4.0 6.3 8.0 8.8
- - 8.3 6.2 7.3 8.4 2.9 8.5 7.1 6.5 8.7 8.7 7.7 6.1 8.9 8.9
ELTMA 6.6 7.9 - 7.8 8.2 6.3 3.0 4.2 7.3 7.3 4.9 7.8 - - 7.4 8.6
GONRU 7.5 8.6 8.5 7.1 8.5 8.6 7.1 5.7 4.7 8.8 4.8 3.1 9.0 8.9 9.0 7.4
7.4 8.6 8.6 6.2 8.5 8.8 - 6.7 4.7 8.8 - 1.8 9.0 8.9 9.0 4.0
GOVMI 8.4 7.2 7.2 4.5 7.3 5.1 1.9 4.8 8.8 8.9 6.9 6.4 2.4 - 7.5 8.7
HERCA - - - - - - - - - - - - 1.4 5.8 3.5 3.1
- - - - - - - - - - - - 2.4 6.8 5.5 2.9
HINWO 4.9 - 6.4 5.9 7.5 3.4 - 7.7 7.8 - 4.7 6.9 - 5.6 8.2 8.2
IGAAN - - - - - - - - 8.3 8.5 7.8 5.7 7.5 - 6.2 9.2
JOBKL 5.3 6.8 6.8 6.9 4.5 6.2 7.2 7.2 - 7.3 5.0 4.0 - - - 7.0
KACJA 6.3 7.4 8.3 4.4 8.5 2.3 - 3.0 6.5 6.6 5.5 3.1 5.8 - 5.8 5.7
6.1 6.1 8.2 3.5 5.7 2.6 2.7 7.5 7.5 7.5 4.6 6.6 1.0 - 7.8 7.9
7.9 - 7.9 6.2 2.7 3.2 2.3 - - - 5.3 0.9 0.7 - - -
4.6 - 4.4 4.3 3.0 1.7 0.9 5.1 - - 3.9 0.9 0.9 - - -
KOSDE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - 2.0 - - - 3.0 4.9
LUNRO - 1.8 1.6 - 1.7 6.9 - 1.2 8.1 9.0 8.9 7.4 9.2 6.4 6.4 8.0
MOLSI 2.8 - 5.9 6.0 4.0 - - - 6.3 - - 7.8 0.9 7.7 7.8 8.0
5.9 4.2 6.0 5.5 8.1 0.8 1.7 8.3 8.4 2.4 0.2 6.5 - 8.7 8.7 8.8
5.2 3.8 7.4 7.5 4.9 2.1 6.2 - - - - - - - - -
5.7 4.8 6.9 7.5 3.2 1.5 4.4 - - - - - - - - -
OCHPA 4.0 6.2 6.8 6.7 6.0 7.1 4.6 - 8.2 7.2 3.3 - 8.4 1.7 8.5 9.6
SCHHA 6.6 7.6 8.4 7.6 - 3.7 6.8 6.0 0.2 7.3 6.4 1.3 1.5 5.6 6.6 8.0
SLAST 2.9 3.3 5.3 - 4.6 - - 2.5 3.6 2.1 2.1 - - - 5.2 3.2
STOEN 6.0 8.0 7.9 8.1 7.2 8.3 5.2 4.8 8.4 7.5 - 8.6 6.9 - 8.8 8.8
5.0 8.1 7.9 8.2 6.2 7.2 4.2 2.7 7.4 6.4 - 6.1 7.1 - 8.8 8.8
5.0 8.0 7.8 8.1 8.2 7.2 4.1 5.5 8.4 6.4 - 5.6 7.0 - 8.8 8.8
STORO - - 7.3 6.9 7.0 - - - - - - - - - - -
STRJO 3.6 6.9 4.7 7.0 0.7 5.0 6.8 6.7 2.8 2.0 6.7 5.7 3.9 4.8 6.0 6.3
4.4 5.8 6.8 6.9 - 2.2 3.5 6.2 3.5 - 4.3 3.9 4.8 4.0 5.7 2.7
5.6 5.2 6.7 5.4 - 5.2 5.4 6.2 5.3 - 6.8 7.0 5.2 5.2 7.2 6.0
TEPIS 8.3 6.7 4.9 8.1 8.0 - - - - - - - - - 6.6 4.0
YRJIL 4.9 5.1 - 5.4 5.3 3.6 5.7 - 3.5 1.7 - 3.4 0.3 - 6.6 5.3
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 157.4169.8205.0192.7154.3141.3107.1128.5159.9142.2127.5149.3126.3 98.8216.3215.9
3. Results (Meteors)
====================
Aug 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR - - - - - - - 1 1 4 10 34 5 3 5
BRIBE 23 24 33 41 37 41 - - 1 - 22 42 15 50 54
CASFL - - - - - - - - - 14 49 115 10 - -
- - - - - - - - 1 14 40 76 6 - -
CRIST 52 1 70 81 81 78 19 57 73 2 159 323 100 82 68
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
ELTMA 27 26 - 51 36 23 19 9 43 15 123 205 - 66 42
GONRU 51 42 63 - 28 12 - - - 67 109 177 66 64 60
16 20 25 - 11 3 - - - 56 68 170 55 33 32
GOVMI 39 - - - 26 42 33 - 36 - 48 - - 58 64
HERCA 15 12 8 3 - - - 9 - - - - - - -
- 11 21 3 - - - 7 - - - - - - -
HINWO 31 - - - 19 31 20 - 15 - - 71 - 34 21
IGAAN 38 20 16 - 10 45 56 69 21 - 45 118 19 19 -
JOBKL - 63 61 31 43 17 - 61 75 - 99 102 82 77 82
KACJA 15 23 - - 7 5 10 8 - - - 98 - 28 35
23 26 - 10 26 25 38 7 31 - 65 27 - 28 32
- 61 - - 54 37 - - - - 108 - - - -
- - - - 32 37 - 2 - - 77 - - - 47
KOSDE - - - - - - - - - - 206 390 - - -
- 7 19 - 13 11 - 12 26 - 14 - - - -
LUNRO 116 58 61 - - 30 - 40 9 - - 176 - - -
MOLSI 94 91 - 60 13 - - 7 - - 9 3 - 86 153
35 39 - 24 44 42 56 6 33 13 3 111 2 53 60
33 - 33 - 43 33 15 29 9 - 8 46 53 36 51
43 - 44 51 35 39 21 45 16 1 13 77 91 57 84
OCHPA 30 17 - 54 40 5 2 1 8 15 70 88 7 20 3
SCHHA 2 18 32 34 32 48 - 22 - - 65 10 - 43 31
SLAST 2 - - - - - - - 2 - 6 - - - 15
STOEN 81 71 - 88 57 44 3 7 58 18 149 359 - 139 82
51 40 - 68 28 27 1 4 56 22 113 268 - 87 53
64 59 - 94 58 37 1 10 75 39 188 373 - 119 76
STORO - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
STRJO 5 - 7 20 27 21 11 - 1 - 5 52 44 16 27
- - 30 20 30 31 10 - - - - 39 50 19 33
29 - 27 45 27 30 9 - - - 10 72 66 37 48
TEPIS 36 - - - - - - - - - 63 50 - - -
YRJIL - - - - 18 16 22 9 36 27 35 3 31 31 33
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 951 729 550 778 875 810 346 422 626 307 1979 3722 702 1285 1291
Aug 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BENOR 3 1 2 - - - 3 - - - - - - - - -
BRIBE 34 51 44 42 2 27 46 51 10 19 54 24 20 28 36 40
CASFL - 29 13 19 - 18 15 - 23 12 8 20 21 - 20 28
- 21 19 24 - 26 9 9 26 11 7 25 16 - 33 24
CRIST 52 65 53 42 47 34 12 35 33 17 30 44 12 32 54 54
- - 37 26 26 32 13 28 33 14 31 29 22 12 31 30
ELTMA 25 43 - 33 31 24 9 23 28 25 16 21 - - 29 43
GONRU 43 39 68 30 58 46 30 31 34 50 11 8 52 48 50 31
25 28 22 22 28 23 - 18 12 27 - 4 24 23 28 8
GOVMI 58 33 44 11 37 30 4 22 58 49 36 28 9 - 39 40
HERCA - - - - - - - - - - - - 3 14 5 5
- - - - - - - - - - - - 6 16 20 7
HINWO 36 - 48 37 33 10 - 40 48 - 17 27 - 31 46 53
IGAAN - - - - - - - - 42 31 37 20 32 - 26 44
JOBKL 30 86 104 84 39 60 75 98 - 77 38 33 - - - 82
KACJA 15 20 24 10 16 4 - 7 27 16 17 10 9 - 19 9
21 18 24 7 13 6 6 29 41 38 17 21 3 - 32 31
67 - 49 53 36 16 12 - - - 39 7 2 - - -
18 - 13 15 9 4 2 17 - - 8 3 3 - - -
KOSDE - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - 11 - - - 6 14
LUNRO - 6 5 - 3 33 - 5 48 38 49 47 47 27 41 31
MOLSI 51 - 149 171 68 - - - 117 - - 117 3 148 161 139
41 21 43 30 41 2 6 51 35 6 1 25 - 32 33 47
21 19 34 38 15 8 19 - - - - - - - - -
42 56 60 64 26 8 43 - - - - - - - - -
OCHPA 28 27 22 24 15 22 22 - 22 17 10 - 20 4 26 28
SCHHA 22 36 32 25 - 8 25 19 1 22 24 3 4 15 18 25
SLAST 5 6 11 - 4 - - 6 10 3 2 - - - 14 6
STOEN 49 84 66 62 54 47 42 38 76 52 - 40 29 - 79 79
22 50 38 34 31 20 19 21 44 22 - 19 20 - 44 50
42 80 53 45 39 33 32 40 66 47 - 24 23 - 88 94
STORO - - 182 222 221 - - - - - - - - - - -
STRJO 10 29 24 30 2 20 24 30 8 6 23 21 14 15 22 29
12 29 24 24 - 10 13 19 11 - 22 12 21 14 21 10
17 27 41 40 - 34 31 35 25 - 40 25 23 33 46 40
TEPIS 23 28 22 36 35 - - - - - - - - - 22 8
YRJIL 33 29 - 31 22 28 20 - 15 6 - 18 1 - 22 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sum 845 961 1370 1331 951 633 532 672 893 605 548 675 439 492 1111 1146
Sirko Molau, 2009/10/08