Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Astrophotography: share your photos & discuss techniques
User avatar
Apollo XX
MSSF Coordinator
Posts: 2785
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:11 pm

Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by Apollo XX »

A little-known meteor shower takes place occasionally that appears to emanate from Earth's rotational axis, and is thus called the Polarids. This shower is little-known because it doesn't happen on a set schedule like most other meteor showers, thus making the capturing of a Polarid all the more satisfying. They may be few in numbers as well, but fortunately most of them are super-bright, the reasons for which are also little known.

O/k, that entire paragraph was a bunch of horse manure. The "meteor" captured in the photo below, and yes indeed right next to Polaris, was entirely predictable. So much so that I was able to use my watch to know when to look. You may have heard of these "meteors" - the Iridiuds. Every so often you get a really good one, and when you do it can be spectacular;

Image

Image

And now the technical details;
Tripod-mounted Nikon D5000, 50mm, F4.5, ISO400, 30sec, trigger pulled 15 seconds before predicted brightening, time synced to Heavens Above website.
"The purpose of life is the investigation of the Sun, the Moon, and the heavens." - Anaxagoras
Bruce D
Life Member
Posts: 5624
Joined: Sat Jun 14, 2003 6:10 am

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by Bruce D »

Nice flare capture Mike, and you had me scratching my head trying to recall hearing about the "Polarid Shower", good one!
Bruce D
User avatar
WCGucfa
Posts: 1856
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:39 pm

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Great shot, Mike.
That tree could have caused you problems, but you were on it with your accurate prediction where the spacecraft would flare. Good work!
I've seen a few of these Polarids in my life. :lol:

Bill G.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
User avatar
bluemax
10+ Years Member
Posts: 817
Joined: Thu Aug 13, 2009 5:00 pm

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by bluemax »

Couldn't you have waited till April 1st for this post?
Frank N

Stellarvue 80mm APO, Skyguider Pro, Celestron AVX

"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man. Has to be"

Taylor in "Planet of the Apes" 1968
User avatar
Apollo XX
MSSF Coordinator
Posts: 2785
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 8:11 pm

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by Apollo XX »

Thanks Guys!

@ Frank - "Couldn't you have waited till April 1st for this post?" Ha ha! Didn't even think of it!

@ Bill G. - "That tree could have caused you problems" Well it did, but in a different way than you'd think. I was working from that particular spot because it's really the first place in my yard where I can see Polaris under twilight conditions - it's just a little darker there, but as you can see the FOV is limited by the building and the trees. Well, the wind was howling like mad out of the west during this shot, and those trees are like 80 feet tall. Man, do they bend! I had to keep moving over to the right to make sure I had enough room, and I just couldn't seem to get Polaris to move enough! Of course then I ran out of time and had to take what I could get, which in the end was just fine. 8)
"The purpose of life is the investigation of the Sun, the Moon, and the heavens." - Anaxagoras
User avatar
WCGucfa
Posts: 1856
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:39 pm

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Mike,

You would never know you had any problem with the trees to look at the image.
Perfect framing! Again, excellent shot!

BG
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
User avatar
rjbokleman
Posts: 517
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 11:09 pm

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by rjbokleman »

Nice capture Mike. I remember playing this game with my wife last year. I had used Heaven's Above to pick one of these out during a dinner on the deck. About 60 seconds before it was scheduled to appear I said, he look over there and watch for a minute. About 15-20 seconds later came this extremely bright flash and her jaw dropped. Priceless.
Ron B.
T5i/700D, ASI1600MM-C, ASI120MM, ASI174MM, XAGYL 7x36mm FW
Astronomik Deep-Sky(RGB), CLS, Ha, OIII, SII
SV60EDS 60mm f/5.5 APO
AT65EDQ 65mm f/6.5 ED Quadruplet
SW ProED 100mm f/9.0 Doublet APO
C8 EdgeHD, AT130EDT
AVX, iEQ45 Pro

http://www.astrobin.com/users/rjbokleman/
User avatar
WCGucfa
Posts: 1856
Joined: Mon Apr 17, 2006 1:39 pm

Re: Capturing the Elusive Polarids

Unread post by WCGucfa »

Ron, good trick!

It wouldn't work for me. My wife and daughter expect me to know what
every moving object in the night sky is, or else they'll call the authorities claiming
there's an impostor in their midst!

Bill G.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
Post Reply