Photographing the Leonids

Photographing meteors such as the Leonids is possible using a 35mm (SLR) camera. The camera must have a "T" (time) or "B" (bulb) setting for taking time exposures. You will also need a cable release, a tripod or a very stable surface to place the camera on, for best results. The camera will need a lens that is between "fisheye" and 55mm. Lenses larger than 55mm will capture too small an area of sky.

You want to set your equipment up in as dark a place as possible, away from street lights and car lights. If there are any such lights around, it will ruin your pictures.

Set the camera up on a tripod or other stable surface and make sure the focal ration is on the lowest setting, meaning that the aperture is wide open. Having the shutter wide open will gather more light and pick up fainter meteors. Also make sure the camera is set to B for T for time exposures. Your focus will be set to infinity.

Next you will need to aim the camera at the area of sky you want to photograph. You will need the camera to be very still once the shutter is opened, so be sure the tripod is locked. If you don't have a tripod, you will need to prop up the camera in a secure manner and so that you can still look through the viewfinder.

Depress the cable release and lock the shutter open. You will want to allow the camera to take a picture from 20 to 30 seconds or more. When the time is up, release the cable to end the exposure. Remember that the camera must not move while the shutter is open.

Just how long you leave the shutter open depends a lot on how dark your skies are. Basically, the more light pollution you have, the shorter your exposures must be. Excess light will obscure any meteor trails. You may want to try various exposure times to see what works best.

The best all around film speed to use is 400ASA. It is fast enough to work but not so fast as to be really grainy. Slower speeds will need longer exposures but be more clear, and you must really have dark skies for it. Faster film speeds will be grainier.

A very wise thing for you to do is to go out on a clear night BEFORE the Leonids peak and experiment with film and find a good place to set up. Taking some pictures will show you how well that film speed will work in your sky area. Try various exposure times starting with ten seconds and working up five seconds at a time. Try all the way up to 3 and 4 minutes. Make sure you write down the specifics of each exposure (image number, film speed, exposure time, ) for when you get the film back. You might also try backing the back one f stop to see how that looks. When you get the film developed, you can compare and determine what will work best on the night of the Leonid peaks. Do remember that there will be a moon out on that night too which will add light to the sky. If all goes well with your experimental film, you should see star trails across any exposures over 15 seconds. The longer the exposure, the longer the trails will be.

You should also let whoever is developing your film know that these are night images and will be dark, otherwise they may try overexposing them to get an image. Explain that the images are stars and may not look like much on the roll of film.

Some meteors are much brighter than others and consequently can ruin a timed exposure. If you see a very bright meteor or fireball cross the area of sky your camera is pointed at, end the exposure after it passes.

You might want to include some of the horizon in your images as it makes for more interesting pictures. It also will provide a better perspective for viewers. Trees and rock formations look especially nice. Another thing which looks really nice is the sky reflection on still water. If you have a lake or pond near you, consider shooting near that if it is dark enough. You might actually find the moon useful in giving some foreground illumination.

Video Cameras

Some video cameras will be capable of imaging the brighter Leonids. Typically, the video camera must have a "manual focus" capability. Video cameras without this feature may have a hard time determining and maintaining good focus in low light. .

PC Cameras

It may even be possible to image some of the brighter Leonid fireballs using a camera hooked to a PC. Generally though, PC cameras are not suitable for low light levels. There may be some Leonid fireballs bright enough for them to capture. It may be difficult to produce good results using a PC camera to image meteors but, give it a try!

• The Best Way to Watch a Meteor Shower
• Where to Look for the Leonids
• Star Charts
• Leo
• Photographing Meteor Showers
• Other Meteor Showers
• What are Meteors and Meteorites
• Origin of Meteorites
• Thunderstones and Shooting Stars: Meteors and Meteorites in Folklore
• Asteroids and Comets: Proud Parents of Meteors
• Target Earth
• Links to other good sites about the Leonids
• More images

Constellations

The Solar System