Geminid Meteors at the VLA
Taken by Alan Dyer on December 13, 2013 @
At the VLA Radio Telescope, New Mexico
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Camera Used: Canon Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Exposure Time: 32/1
Aperture: Unavailable
ISO: 800
Date Taken: 2013:12:14 00:03:43
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Details:
Tonight, December 13, I was at the VLA, the iconic radio telescope array on the high desert Plains of San Agustin in central New Mexico. Over three hours I shot 325 frames for a time-lapse movie, hoping that a few would “catch a falling star” or two.
Despite the peak occurring in the evening, conditions weren’t ideal. Light from the gibbous Moon lit the landscape nicely but did wash out many meteors. Of course, I just wanted some bright ones anyway! Also, clouds drifted in and out all evening – mostly in!
In image #1, you can see a faint Geminid meteor shooting up from Gemini the twins, visible rising at lower right, with Jupiter (now in Gemini) marking the constellation’s location.
In image #2 I moved the camera, but the array was also now pointed at a new target in the sky so the dishes were turned to look west. This shot captures another faint-ish Geminid streaking toward Orion, just right of centre.
I didn’t nab the grand and brilliant meteor I had hoped for but it was a wonderful moonlit evening under the stars, watching the dishes dance the night away.
Both shots are 32-second exposures with a Rokinon 14mm lens at f/2.8 and a Canon 5D MkII at ISO 800.
Photographer's website:
http://www.amazingsky.net
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