How to observe and photograph a meteor shower.
Updated: 15 hours ago
Introduction
When a comet burns up, it leaves a trail of dust floating through space. As the Earth orbits the Sun, it sometimes collides with this dust, causing a meteor shower. They happen every year, at regular intervals, so it is easy to keep track and predict when they will happen. This is a simple but in depth guide to observing and photographing meteor showers, along with answering some important and common questions.
A Perseid meteor. Captured by Luke Pearson with a Canon 80d @50mm, 1600 Iso, 10s.
What is a meteor?
A meteor is a small piece of rock that burns up in the sky. Most are fragments of comets that have broken up and created a cloud of dust within the Solar System. Meteors can hit earth at any time, however you have the best chance of seeing one during a meteor shower.
A meteor is not the same as a meteorite. The difference between them is a meteorite lands on the ground, whereas the vast majority of meteors are vaporised by the atmosphere. Here are the definitions of commonly confused objects:
An asteroid is a fragment of the early solar system that orbits the Sun. They are around 4.6 billion years old and have a very heavy core of Iron and Nickel, with a rocky outer shell. To class as an asteroid, a body must be at least 1 meter in diameter.
A meteoroid is a body measuring less than 1 meter in diameter. These are tiny rocks that are floating through space.
A meteor is a meteoroid that has collided with Earth. These are overwhelmingly the size of sand and dust, and are almost always completely destroyed by the intense heat generated by friction with the atmosphere.
A meteorite is a meteor that reaches the ground. It might surprise you to learn, but meteorites are cold to the touch when they land. This is because they have slowed down so much as they fight air resistance in the atmosphere, and so by the time they land they have little energy left. This also means meteorites are very unlikely to cause damage, and sadly most land without notice.
How to observe a meteor shower
Because a meteor shower is caused by a collision with a comets tail, we can predict exactly where in the sky they will come from. This point is known as the Radiant and it is unique to each shower. The first step to observing a meteor shower is to locate this radiant using a star chart, the internet, or a dedicated phone app.
Once the radiant is found, you have to make a choice.
If you face towards the radiant, you will see many meteors. However because you are viewing them the moment they enter the atmosphere, they will be very fast and often faint. If you want to observe bright meteors, you should look exactly opposite the radiant. Here, meteors will burn through much more atmosphere, so they will be much brighter. However they will be less frequent.
If you want frequent meteors, look towards the radiant. If you want bright meteors, look directly opposite.
As the night progresses, the radiant will rise higher in the sky, with the other stars. As the night goes on you will see more meteors. The best time to watch a meteor shower is the early morning between 00:00 and 03:00. This is usually the darkest part of the night.
You don't need any equipment to observe a meteor shower. Don't use binoculars or telescopes because those will lower your field of view. Instead, just use your eyes and look at the best part of the sky depending on your location. The best thing you can do is bring a chair, or even a reclined sunbed to lie on. Meteor showers can be very unpredictable, so you might be waiting a while.
TIP: Use a red coloured torch or headlamp. Red light protects your night vision, so if you need to move around or fiddle with anything, you sensitive night vision will be protected.
Get somewhere as dark as possible.
Get somewhere with the least obstructed view of the sky.
Locate the radiant using a star chart or phone app
Use red torch lights and turn your phone to night mode.
Get a chair or a sunbed to relax.
Be patient. Meteor showers are unpredictable and you might be waiting a while.
Don't use a telescope or binoculars. These restrict your view.
How to photograph a meteor shower
Photographing a meteor shower can be frustrating. There is nothing worse than seeing a meteor in person, but your camera doesn't detect it. Keep reading to learn how to avoid common mistakes.
The first step is to acquire a camera with a long exposure setting. This is essential. Meteors can last tenths of a second so the longer you have the camera on, the better. Most phone today have a "pro mode" which almost always has a long exposure setting. The next step is to get a mount. A small tripod from a site like Amazon should be fine. You can easily get a tripod that includes a phone mount, and of course there are plenty for DSLR's.
Once you have a camera with long exposures and a tripod secured, you have to time your shoot. I would recommend waiting for later into the night, after midnight to begin. As mentioned before, this is when activity will peak. You don't want to waste battery life and storage space by imaging right after sunset.
Point the camera directly opposite the radiant for the best chance of capturing meteors. This is because these meteors tend to be brighter and burn for longer. The faint meteors toward the radiant can easily be washed out in a light polluted sky.
A faint Perseid meteor, captured by Luke Pearson with a Canon 80d @50mm, 1600 Iso and 12s exposure.
You need a high Iso to capture meteors. At least 1600, probably more like 3200 or 6400. If you are in a light polluted area, a high Iso can cause "Sky glow" to wash meteors out. Don't go less than 1600 Iso, even if you need to lower the exposure time to a few seconds to compensate. Because meteors are so fast, the camera needs to be very sensetive.
Use the lowest F stop your camera has. This allows plenty of light to reach the sensor. Don't worry about forking out loads for a camera with <F/2, just use the best you have. A kit lens works perfectly well.
Finally, get yourself an intervelometer. This is a device that allows your camera to take photos automatically, allowing you to sit down and relax, or even go to sleep. This is fantastic if you have work the next day. To use an intervelometer, simply turn the camera to Bulb mode, designated as a "B" on the mode dial. Then you imput your exposure time, the length between photos, and the number of photos you want to take. Then hit go and watch as your camera takes care of the whole imaging session.
It is very useful to ocassionaly check the camera to make sure it is still focused correctly. Every 10 minutes or so, stop the intervelometer and check the latest photos just to make sure eveything is working properly.
TIP: When using an intervelometer, set the time between photos to 2 seconds. This is allows the camera to correctly buffer between shots.
So, to wrap up:
Get a camera capable of long exposures.
Get a tripod.
Set the camera up facing directly opposite the radiant.
Focus on a bright star or distant light.
Use a high Iso > 1600.
Set an exposure to compensate for the Iso. Don't be affraid to use a shorter exposure if neccassary.
Use the shortest F number you can.
Use an intervelometer if you can get one. These are incredibly helpful.
Don't forget to charge your batteries. It is also advisable to bring a couple spare.
Look into a dew heater. These heat up the camera lens enough to stop condensation from forming.
And thats it! That is everything you need to know. Now you are ready to observe and photograph meteor showers properly. As a bonus, below are the dates of the next few meteor showers. Add them to your calander so you don't miss them.
Meteor shower name | Meteor shower date | Number of meteors per hour | Radiant location |
Leonids | November 17th-18th | 10-15 | Leo |
Gemenids | December 13th- 14th | 120 | Gemini |
Ursids | December 21st- 22nd | 10 | Ursa Major |
Perseids | August 12th-13th | 100 | Perseus |
Good luck!
-Luke
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