Meteor Detection Camera
I’ve recently completed a lockdown project to build a meteor detection camera using online instructions and resources from the Global Meteor Network. I read about this project in the January 2021 edition of Sky at Night Magazine and thought it looked like fun - a mixture of DIY and computery stuff that is a little outside my comfort zone. How hard could it be?
The Aim
The aim was to build an external camera linked to a small internal computer that would watch the night sky as I slept, capturing the overnight activities for me to review in the morning. These would be uploaded to an external website with the hope of capturing something really interesting like the recent Winchcombe meteorite that landed only an hour or so away from me.
That meteorite was located using the UK’s camera network to establish the exact location.
Instructions
The Sky at Night instructions are good, but a two-page spread doesn’t really cover the detail. Using the resources on the Global Meteor Network’s wiki page I found some more detailed instructions and a contact email.
From this I gathered a parts list that I would need to buy online and then information on how to install the software and get my station code.
Shopping
I purchased the bits I’d need online from a range of suppliers including AliExpress, Amazon and eBay. These included the camera housing, the camera module and lens to go inside, the ethernet cables to the camera, the Raspberry Pi 4 computer, a RPi4 case and fan, a Real Time Clock component (to ensure my captures were properly synchronised), Power over Ethernet adapters and a memory card. I also bought a switch to allow everything to be hard wired into my router. Overall I spend around £200.
Building the Pi
Of all the stages, perhaps the most fun was assembling the computer, case and fan using a RPi4 and a case kit. The RPi is about the size of a credit card and comes equipped with various ports (ethernet, USBs and mini HDMI).
The Camera
The GMN instructions have various options for how to connect up your RPi and camera. In my case, it was determined by where I wanted to mount the camera, where I could feed the cables from and where my power and internet connections were. Using a switch I was able to hard wire everything back to my router.
My setup consists of:
Long ethernet cable from camera to a Power over Ethernet (PoE) socket internally
PoE also connected to ethernet port on the RPi
RPi connected to internet switch using an ethernet to USB adapter (RPi only has one ethernet port)
Power supply to the RPi.
In order to run the software and complete any bespoke inputs like station code, location etc. you’ll need to connect a screen, keyboard and mouse. I used a mini HDMI to HDMI adapter to connect to a TV and a usb mouse and keyboard.
The camera module with lens and power other ethernet cable
Camera housing with mounting bracket
Setting up
In order to run the software and complete any bespoke inputs like station code, location etc. you’ll need to connect a screen, keyboard and mouse. I used a mini HDMI to HDMI adapter to connect to a TV and a usb mouse and keyboard.
The RPi interface is very easy to navigate for novice like myself. The desktop has preloaded links and folders. One is for bringing up a livestream from the camera to allow you to adjust the focus. Once done, you can disconnect all your peripherals and let the software take over.
If you want to check what’s going on you can remote onto the RPi over you home network using TeamViewer. You also use this interface for saving /archiving images.
The Outputs
Once the capture sequence is complete (length & start/stop determined by sunrise & sunset) the software generates a number of outputs and uploads to the GMN website. You can also send the same data to the UK Meteor Network site too. I subscribe to the daily email to confirm what has been uploaded. After a clear night, watching a 1min time lapse video of the whole night over breakfast is pretty mesmerising. A great night of astronomy and a great night’s sleep? You bet!
Combined stack of detections from one clear night
Field of View of my camera - perfect for southern approaches by either meteors or the Spanish Armada.
This plots the radiant of the meteor detections against known meteor shower periods and peaks
Astrometry check against known star positions
It gives you loads of graphs…don’t ask me what they all mean.
My Station Links
Station UK002J at Bathampton’s BLT Observatory can be monitored here:
Global Meteor Network (Stills and Time-lapse Videos)
UK Meteor Network select bathmptn s UK002J from the dropdown
Links
Here are some useful links to the online resources:
Make: Projects Build a RPi Meteor Camera Instructions /images
Perseid Meteor Shower 2021 update
The meteor camera really came into its own during the peak of the 2021 Perseids. We enjoyed a clear and moonless night on the peak 12-13th August and the camera picked up 147 Perseids including a bright fireball heading due south.
