2021-08-11/12/13, Perseids and Jupiter

Conditions were not very favorable but we managed to see a number of Perseids on the night of August 11/12. When cirrus took over we had a look at Jupiter and Saturn with the Celestron C14. Although very low in the sky (max. 25°) both planets looked awesome. Took a 30s movie with a Canon EOS R dslr. The best 20% of frames was used for the image below.

The following night (12/13) conditions were better and we saw more meteors than the previous night. However, no fireballs were seen. Comparing the number of meteors to last year, we found the activity disappointing. A few days later (14/8, between 06-09UT) an outburst was seen in the USA and Canada with a ZHR of 130 ±20.

2017-08-12/13 Perseids

Although the weather looked bad, meteorologists predicted clear spells during the Perseid maximum night 12/13 august. We gathered at public observatory Bussloo at 22.00 preparing for a very humid night waiting for the skies to clear. Around 22.45 most camera’s started imaging a partly cloudy sky. The first meteors were seen. At midnight most of the clouds had disappeared but instead the moon started to rise and illuminate the skies. Between 01.30 and 02.30 we were completely clouded out, but then the clouds finally gave way and we were able to continu well into dawn. Highlight of the night was a -6 Perseid fireball right in my field of view with a persisting train that was visible in binoculars for over 1 minute.

 

Bright Camelopardalid

20140524_0102UT_web_0088

Canon EOS5DII and EF8-14/4L @F4, 8mm. ISO1600. 2014-05-24, 01.01.32-01.02.01UT.

We set out, at the public observatory Bussloo, to observe a possible meteorstorm from comet 209P/Linear. However, only one possible meteor from comet 209P/Linear was identified and photographed. Nevertheless we had a great night of observing and photographing various objects with different telescopes and lenses.

 

C/2011L4 (PanSTARRS), 2013-04-01.

Another cold and windy night. Skies not as clear as 2 days earlier. Lots of light pollution. At the start of the session a nice meteor appeared. It’s persistent train is visible in subsequent images for more than 10 minutes.

2013-04-01, 19.47UT, Canon EOS 5Dii, EF200/2.8 @F3.2, ISO1600, 10x15sec, Vixen Polarie.

2013-04-01, 19.47UT, Canon EOS 5Dii, EF200/2.8 @F3.2, ISO1600, 10x15sec, Vixen Polarie.