{"id":33437,"date":"2022-06-23T14:31:29","date_gmt":"2022-06-23T14:31:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.skyatnightmagazine.com\/?p=24354"},"modified":"2022-06-23T14:57:20","modified_gmt":"2022-06-23T14:57:20","slug":"how-to-photograph-a-meteor-shower","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcskyatnight\/rss_feed\/how-to-photograph-a-meteor-shower\/","title":{"rendered":"How to photograph a meteor shower"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Pete Lawrence\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 23 June 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Have you ever wanted to photograph a meteor? In the following guide we\u2019ll show you how to take advantage of annual meteor showers<\/a> and capture an image of one for posterity. July and August are arguably the best time to see meteors.<\/p>\n

The reason for this is undoubtedly the presence of the Perseid meteor shower<\/a>, which peaks just before mid-August.<\/p>\n

This is not the only active meteor shower at this time of year. Others include the Lyrid meteor shower<\/a>, the Southern and Northern Delta Aquarids, the Southern and Northern Iota Aquarids, the Alpha Capricornids and the Kappa Cygnids.<\/p>\n

Although less active than the Perseids, it\u2019s the overlap of each shower\u2019s activity that not only helps to raise the number of visible meteors but gives you the best possible chance to take some truly stunning photographs.<\/p>\n

For more advice, read our beginners\u2019 guide to astrophotography<\/a>.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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A Perseid meteor seen near the Andromeda Galaxy (the bright smudge on the left of the image), Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, US, 12 August 2018. Credit: STAN HONDA\/AFP via Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Why do meteor showers occur?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Understanding why meteors happen also helps you to make your pictures that little bit more special.<\/p>\n

They occur when a small particle called a meteoroid, which is typically the size of a grain of sand, gets pulled towards Earth. Its first encounter is with our atmosphere.<\/p>\n

Friction causes the meteoroid to heat up and, when its boiling point is reached, it begins to vaporise.<\/p>\n

Molecules from the vaporised particle interact with the atmospheric molecules and temporarily raise them to an excited state.<\/p>\n

They don\u2019t stay like this for long, though, and when they return to normal they give off energy in the form of light.<\/p>\n

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A Perseid meteor seen in the night sky above Corfe Castle, Dorset, United Kingdom, 12 August 2016. Credit: Dan Kitwood\/Getty Images.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

From the ground we see the light given off from these interactions in the form of a meteor trail.<\/p>\n

The \u2018burn-up\u2019 process, called ablation, typically occurs at a height of around 96km (60 miles).<\/p>\n

The trail leaves behind it a tube of ionised molecules which can persist for many minutes.<\/p>\n

If you look carefully at the sky following a bright meteor, it\u2019s sometimes possible to make out this tube while it glows subtly against the background of night.<\/p>\n

This is known as a meteor train: particularly bright examples can last for several seconds.<\/p>\n

Find out more about the science of meteor showers in our guide What causes a meteor shower?<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

Photographing meteor showers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Perseid meteor, by Michael Rosinski, Michigan, USA. Equipment: Canon EOS 70D DSLR camera and 11-16mm lens.<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

M<\/span>eteor photography isn\u2019t actually that hard to do. You need plenty of patience but, once set up, the process of catching a meteor on camera is a waiting game \u2013 a bit like celestial fishing.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are several prominent showers throughout the year. There include<\/span><\/p>\n