Meteor camera networks run by professional and citizen scientists are a powerful tool as we start to build a geological map of the Solar System.
More camera stations are needed to provide good coverage across the UK. There are several ways for individuals, astronomy clubs or institutions to get a camera system from the meteor networks in UKFAll. Whichever one you choose, your data can be combined with data from all other camera networks to help find the UK’s next meteorite.
For Individuals – a Global Meteor Network / Raspberry-Pi Meteor Station
Most people start here. These systems are relatively easy and cheap to build, or you can buy one ready-made.
- Building your own will cost around £200. Instructions for ordering parts and assembling the system are available here and YouTube-based help with assembly can be found here. See also this article in Popular Astronomy.
- If building a camera isn’t your thing, you can buy a pre-built system. The cost is currently around £300 including postage within the UK. Please e-mail GMNCameraEnquiry@ukfall.org.uk for more information.
Images are black and white and the field of view is about 40 degrees by 88 degrees. The system uploads data via your home broadband.
This is a long-running set-and-forget project that you can pick up whenever your camera catches something really interesting. However, if you want to be more involved and see what your meteor camera is achieving, there are handy dashboards that will show you image stacks that overlay all the detected meteors from the previous night, radiant charts that show which part of the sky the meteors came from, maps that combine your data with those of others nearby to show the direction of travel of detected meteors, and equipment calibration plots that demonstrate your equipment is continually tuning itself to produce good quality datasets.
You can expect to be credited for your data in any scientific papers published that draw on data you contributed. For more information on this global project, see https://globalmeteornetwork.org/.
For Individuals wanting multiple cameras and colour video, AllSky7 is a great choice
These systems use the same image sensor as the GMN camera, but having seven or eight of them under one dome gives full-sky coverage. It runs in colour and so gives media-friendly images and video. As it captures video night and day, it can also help locate daytime meteorite falls. For more information on this project see https://allsky7.net/.
AllSky7 systems cost around £1,200 and are currently built in Germany or the US. If you are interested to buy one, please e-mail AllSky7CameraEnquiry@ukfall.org.uk for more information.
For Institutions or Astronomical societies – a SCAMP / FRIPON system is a good, professional set-and-forget all-sky fireball camera
These systems use a fisheye lens and a black & white industrial camera to capture bright fireballs. For more information on the FRIPON project, see https://www.fripon.org/.
UKFAll is currently looking to deploy new FRIPON cameras in the UK. If you are an institution or society in one of our target areas, we may be able to provide one on permanent loan at no capital cost to you. Alternatively, if you want to buy one and install it yourself, this will cost you about £2,500. To find out more, please e-mail SCAMPCameraEnquiry@ukfall.org.uk.
Whichever system you chose, you will be helping to improve coverage of the UK’s skies and may help the recovery of the UK’s next meteorite.
The UK Fireball Alliance 