Sketch of 2010 Perseids
Click image to view larger version.
Observation Notes:
As much as I resist getting up early for an observation, this one was worth it. The 2010 Perseid Meteor Shower put on a great show. Over the course of an hour and twenty minutes, I plotted 40 meteors. In total, I actually glimpsed about 3 times that number, but many fell outside my sketch area, or happened in rapid succession and I couldn't plot them. Out of 40 in the sketch, only 32 appear to coincide with the Perseid radiant in position and trail length.
After finishing the sketch, I attempted some photography. I saw about 10 meteors cross the image area while shooting, but they were too faint to rise above the air glow and sensor noise. I did get to see a brilliant fireball just as dawn was brightening the sky. It left a glowing trail that slowly twisted and faded in the upper atmosphere.
See below for the original, labeled sketch. Gnomonic projection charts suited for meteor sketching can be found here: International Meteor Organization: Gnomonic Atlas Brno 2000.0 Charts.
Labeled field sketch of 2010 Perseids
Click image to view larger version.
| Subject | 2010 Perseids |
| Classification | Meteor Shower |
| Position (J2000)* | Perseus [RA: 03 13 12.4 / Dec: +57 15 11] |
| Date/Time | AUG 13, 2010, 2:20 - 3:40 AM (AUG 13, 2010, 09:20 - 10:40 UT) |
| Observing Loc. | Sunset Crater National Monument, AZ |
| Instrument | Naked eye |
| Conditions | Clear, calm |
| Seeing | 5/10 Pickering |
| Transparency | SQM: 21.6 |
Amazing work Mr Jeremy!
I remember Richard Handy once submitted a sketch to ASOD of his Leonid shower experience. That was my motivation and idea to later replicate that style or should I say method of approach. I really didn't have a clue how to begin or how to present a sketch of any meteor shower. When Richard mentioned sketching in hourly intervals, that's when it clicked in my 'nogging'!...and so I waited until the Perseids kicked in last month. Ofcourse you have now seen my work. I'm a big fan of your Belt of Venus site, always checking your work and techniques or any other pertinent information I can learn from.
Asta la Pasta, wishing you dark and clear skies!
Juanchin
Thanks Juanchin! Rich's sketch really was inspiring wasn't it? Your sketch of the Perseids is amazing too, especially your inclusion of the Milky Way backdrop. Thanks for your permission to display it here when I post the October 2010 Drawn to the Universe summary. I'm looking forward to the Geminids in December...Hopefully, the weather and the shower cooperate and we get a good shot at sketching that one too.
Jeremy
Superb Jeremy! I never really got a chance to catch the Perseid meteor shower this year, but your sketch more than makes up for it.
Thanks Ewan! Are you going to try for the Geminids?
I'll certainly try, weather permitting, for a visual observation of the Gemnids. I'd love to give sketching a meteor shower a go. Did you see Deirdre Kelleghan's Perseid sketch over on spaceweather.com? Quite beautiful: http://tinyurl.com/kelleghansketch