8 October 2011
The Draconid meteor shower of 2011

by Lorenzo Comolli

from Tradate (VA), Italy

Draconid meteors are usually characterized by a minor activity, except some years when the number of meteors can increase due to better alignment of Earth and the meteor stream. 2011 was forecasted as an interesting year, and showed a peak with a ZHR of 300 met/h (see IMO website). I observed from my backyard in a light polluted city, with the additional light of the full Moon. Fortunately the sky was very transparent and allowed me to see 62 meteors by naked eye. Here are a few results of that night.


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Cygnus and Lyra where high in the sky and some meteors where so kind to leave their trail here. All are draconids except the one near Deneb. Due to light pollution and full Moon in the sky, the Milky Way is only barely visible. Canon 5D mod, Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011, from 18.09 to 20.21 UT.


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A detail in Lyra from the previous image. Canon 5D mod, Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011, 18.53 UT.


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The radiant of Draconids is near the head of Draco. Here a fireball was imaged near the radiant. Canon 350D, Sigma 20 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.5, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011, 19.29 UT.

A detail of a series of images of the above Draconid, near the head of Draco. A small persistent trail is visible. Canon 350D, Sigma 20 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.5, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011, 19.29 UT.


The visual observations show quite well the peak at about 20 UT. The data bins are 10 min wide and the HR is computed taking into account the effective observing time. The same data helped to build the graph on IMO website.

A slow moving flashing satellite is visible in this time-lapse animation. Canon 5D mod, Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011.


Is this a meteor? Many satellites leaves trails that can appear like meteors in single exposures. But a sequence of three reveals that the trail is visible also on previous and next frame, even if fainter. A meteor is so fast that will leave a trail only on a single frame. Canon 5D mod, Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011.


A fast moving flashing satellite has left this strange trail in a single exposure. Each trail can be mistaken for a meteor. Canon 5D mod, Canon 50 mm f/1.8 mk2 closed to f/2.8, 400 ISO, 30 s exp, RAW. 8 October 2011.



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