8 October 2011 The Draconid meteor shower of 2011
by Lorenzo Comolli
from Tradate
(VA), Italy
Draconid meteors are usually
characterized by a minor activity, except some years when the number of
meteors can increase due to better alignment of Earth and the meteor
stream. 2011 was forecasted as an interesting year, and showed a peak
with a ZHR of 300 met/h (see IMO website). I observed from my backyard in a light polluted
city, with the additional light of the full Moon. Fortunately the sky
was very transparent and allowed me to see 62 meteors by naked eye. Here
are a few results of that night.
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Cygnus and Lyra where high in the sky
and some meteors where so kind to leave their trail here. All are
draconids except the one near Deneb. Due to light pollution and full
Moon in the sky, the Milky Way is only barely visible. Canon 5D mod,
Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October
2011, from 18.09 to 20.21 UT.
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A detail in Lyra from the previous image. Canon 5D mod,
Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October
2011, 18.53 UT.
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The radiant of Draconids is near
the head of Draco. Here a fireball was imaged near the radiant. Canon
350D, Sigma 20 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.5, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8
October
2011, 19.29 UT.
A detail of a series of images of the above Draconid, near the head of Draco. A small persistent trail is visible. Canon
350D, Sigma 20 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.5, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8
October
2011, 19.29 UT.
The visual observations show quite well the peak at
about 20 UT. The data bins are 10 min wide and the HR is computed taking
into account the effective observing time. The same data helped to
build the graph on IMO website.
A slow moving flashing satellite is visible in this time-lapse animation. Canon 5D mod,
Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October
2011.
Is this a meteor? Many satellites
leaves trails that can appear like meteors in single exposures. But a
sequence of three reveals that the trail is visible also on previous and
next frame, even if fainter. A meteor is so fast that will leave a
trail only on a single frame. Canon 5D mod,
Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October
2011.
A fast moving flashing satellite has left this strange trail in a single exposure. Each trail can be mistaken for a meteor. Canon 5D mod,
Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October
2011.
