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AMS Video Program
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SETI Team!

[AMS 90th Anniversary Button]

 
These combined high 8mm video frames display three bright Perseid meteors appearing in the constellation of Cepheus. These meteors were videotaped on August 12, 2005, during the period of maximum activity of the 2005 Perseid meteor shower. Note the sensitivity of the system as the limiting magnitude oftens exceeds a limiting magnitude of +7.5 from rural locations. Courtesy AMS Staff Advisor: Peter Gural
[Image: Perseid Meteors]

Contents:

Introduction

Since the 1990's, the use of video equipment has become an important method in recording meteor activity. A prime example was the short outburst of the 1995 Alpha Monocerotids. This display was captured on tape by European video observers, leading to updated parameters for this shower.

The AMS Video Program wishes to complement the Visual Program by viewing the night sky through an intensified video camera. The main method of observation will use a live feed from the intensified unit directly into a desktop computer running the I.M.O.'s Meteor Recognition (MetRec) program. When out in the field for observing stronger displays, a separate video camera will tape the activity and these tapes will be visually inspected and also processed with MetRec. The resulting activity will be published on this web site and also shared with the meteorobs forum.

As you can see from the picture below, the AMS video system actually consists of three different components. Light enters through the external Nikon 50mm F1.4 lens, then is intensified approximately 100,000 times as is passes through the Abex Grade A X1332 Gen II intensifier. The intensified output then passes through a PC164C NTSC video camera equipped with a 2.7-13.5 F1.3 Fujinon lens. The feed is then directed into a computer equipped with a Matrox II framegrabber. For field use an external video camera is necessary to tape the nights activity. This tape can then be viewed on a monitor and ultimately fed into the framegrabber for analysis.

AMS Video System

2008 Video Observations Table

The table below lists, in reverse chronological order, the video meteor observations obtained by the American Meteor Society during 2008. While most of the abbreviations are clear, several may need clarifying: UT = Universal Time (Greenwich Mean Time). TeFF indicates the percentage of an hour spent observing (1.00 = 1.00 hour, 0.50 = .50 hour or 30 minutes). F is the obscuration factor (usually clouds, trees, or hills) where 1.00 = no obscuration and 2.00 = 50% obscuration. SPO = Sporadic (random activity). SHR = Shower activity. Numeric figures under Moon indicate the presence of moonlight and the percentage of the illuminated portion of the moons disk. 1.00 = Full Moon, "+" indicates waxing (before full moon) phase and "-" indicates waning (after full moon) phase.

DATE CAMERA OPERATOR LOCATION PERIOD (UT) TeFF L.M. F TOTAL SPO SHR SHR SHR SHR MOON NOTES
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1223 1.38 +3.50 1.00 3 3         -0.36  
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.50 1.00 0 0         -0.36  
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT          
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 31 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0231-0500 2.48 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1226 1.43 +3.00 1.00 3 3         -0.56  
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.56  
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.56  
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.50 1.00 1 1         -0.56  
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 29 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0230-0400 1.50 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1227 1.45 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.65  
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 2         -0.65  
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.65  
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 3 3         -0.65  
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +3.50 1.00 1 1         -0.65  
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 2            
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT          
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 28 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0229-0400 1.52 +4.00 1.00 2 2            
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1234 0.57 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.74  
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 2         -0.74  
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.74  
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.74  
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 3 3         -0.74  
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +3.50 1.00 1 1         -0.74  
Mar 27 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0233-0700 4.45 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1235 1.58 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.81  
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 4 2 2 ANT       -0.81  
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.81  
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.81  
Mar 26 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.81 Stratus
Mar 26 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.81  
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.81  
Mar 26 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +4.50 1.00 3 3         -0.81  
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +3.50 1.00 1 1         -0.81  
Mar 26 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +5.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 26 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +5.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 26 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0300-0400 1.00 +5.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0300-0400 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 26 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0222-0300 0.63 +4.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 25 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1236 0.60 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.88  
Mar 25 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 2         -0.88  
Mar 25 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.88  
Mar 25 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.88  
Mar 25 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0800-0906 1.10 +4.00 1.00 4 3 1 ANT       -0.88 Stratus
Mar 25 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.88  
Mar 25 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 5 3 2 ANT       -0.88  
Mar 25 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.88  
Mar 25 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +4.50 1.00 1 1         -0.88  
Mar 25 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0541-0800 2.32 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.88  
Mar 25 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +5.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 25 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0305-0400 0.92 +5.00 1.00 0 0            
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1200-1252 0.87 +4.00 1.00 3 3         -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1238 0.63 +3.00 1.00 2 2         -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +4.00 1.00 6 6         -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 3 2 1 ANT       -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +4.00 1.00 4 3 1 ANT       -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 2         -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0         -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0         -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +4.50 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       -0.93  
Mar 24 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0427-0600 1.55 +3.00 1.00 1 0 1 ANT       -0.93  
Mar 24 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0256-0400 1.07 +5.00 1.00 1 1            
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1200-1253 0.88 +4.00 1.00 2 2         -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 2         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1234 1.57 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +4.00 1.00 4 4         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-1000 2.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 2         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 2         -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0500-0700 2.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.97  
Mar 23 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0318-0500 1.70 +4.00 1.00 2 2         -0.97  
Mar 23 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0228-0500 2.53 +3.00 1.00 0 0         -0.97  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1200-1255 0.92 +4.00 1.00 3 2 1 GNO       -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1231 0.52 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +4.00 1.00 4 3 1 ANT       -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 4 4         -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +4.00 1.00 5 3 2 ANT       -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 3 3         -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +4.00 1.00 5 5         -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 4 3 1 ANT       -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0500-0700 2.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0         -0.99  
Mar 22 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0559-0700 1.02 +3.00 1.00 1 1         -0.99  
Mar 22 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0337-0500 1.38 +4.00 1.00 1 1         -0.99  
Mar 21 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1200-1256 0.93 +4.00 1.00 7 4 3 ANT       +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1232 0.53 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +1.00  
Mar 21 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +4.00 1.00 6 5 1 ANT       +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +1.00  
Mar 21 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0952-1100 1.13 +4.00 1.00 3 2 1 ANT       +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0820-1000 1.67 +3.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0725 1.42 +3.00 1.00 2 2         +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 0 1 ANT       +1.00  
Mar 21 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0228-0400 1.53 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +1.00  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1233 0.55 +3.00 1.00 3 2 1 GNO       +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 2         +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 2 2         +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0800-0900 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 0 1 ANT       +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0700 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 0 1 ANT       +0.98  
Mar 20 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0228-0500 2.53 +3.00 1.00 0 0         +0.98  
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1235 0.58 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.94  
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1100-1200 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 0 1 GNO       +0.94  
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1000-1100 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.94  
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0900-1000 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.94  
Mar 19 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0700-0800 1.00 +4.00 1.00 2 1 1 ANT       +0.94 Stratus
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0600-0900 3.00 +3.00 1.00 0 0         +0.94  
Mar 19 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0500-0700 2.00 +4.00 1.00 0 0         +0.94  
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0500-0600 1.00 +3.00 1.00 1 1         +0.94  
Mar 19 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0400-0500 1.00 +4.00 1.00 3 3         +0.94  
Mar 19 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 0300-0400 1.00 +4.00 1.00 1 1         +0.94  
Mar 19 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 0227-0500 2.55 +3.00 1.00 0 0         +0.94  
Mar 18 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7) 1200-1300 1.00 +4.50 1.00 10 10         +0.89  
Mar 18 Carl Hergenrother AZ (UT-7) 1200-1236 0.60 +3.50 1.00 1 1         +0.89  
Mar 18 Robert Lunsford CA (UT-7)