BAA Meteor Section/NEMETODE video meteor detection workshop

This all-day BAA Meteor Section/NEMETODE workshop will take place on Saturday, 2014 September 27, at The Macdonald Burlington Hotel, 126 New Street, Birmingham, B2 4JQ  Tea/coffee will be served from 10 am with the workshop starting at 10.30 am.

NEMETODE, The Network for Meteor Triangulation and Orbit Determination, is a team that uses low-light sensitivity video cameras to monitor common volumes of the meteor layer. By analysing the same meteor events from different geographic locations they are able to characterise the meteoroid trajectory, shower association and orbit.

Since it was first established in 2012 by members of the BAA Meteor Section the video meteor network has undergone significant growth. During this time members have gained considerable experience with the equipment and software and this workshop is an opportunity to not only share this knowledge with other interested parties but also to take account of the questions and ideas that the new members bring to the group.

This will be a technical workshop for individuals who have already deployed video meteor detection equipment and are operating it using the SonotaCo UFO Software Suite. Attendees should bring laptops preloaded with the UFO* analysis software and be prepared to perform data-analysis, using the methods discussed, on sample data provided to the group and on their own data.

This one-day workshop will run from 10.30 am to 4.30 pm in order to allow participants time to get to and return from the venue in the same day. The venue is very conveniently located near to Birmingham’s New Street rail station. Lunch is not provided so attendees should bring a packed lunch.

During the summer of 2014 a significant number of additional cameras have become active. The workshop date has been selected in order that initial results from the Perseids can be reviewed and “lessons to be learned” (optimisation of knowledge / equipment / techniques) can be applied in anticipation of the major showers at the end of the year.

The specific agenda is still to be finalised, but the following themes will be covered:

• Provide an opportunity to put faces to names – to date the majority of interactions have been online
• Provide hands-on training (where required)
• Agree consistent standards for data collection and analysis
• Consider additional opportunities for network capability – equipment / camera alignment / collaborations with DSLR / Radio / Spectroscopy etc
• Share Hints & Tips

Attendees do not have to be members of the BAA or NEMETODE but as space at the venue is limited, participation is intended for current active operators of video-based meteor detection equipment. It is recognised that there will be interest in a more general meeting covering the rationale, hardware, software and costs associated with setting up a video-based meteor detection system and plans are already underway for such a meeting early next year.

For more information and to reserve a place email John Mason (docjohn@dircon.co.uk) with a copy to William Stewart (ws@nemetode.org) as soon as possible and no later than Friday 2014 September 12.

John Mason

Director

BAA Meteor Section