Leonids 2001 Meteor Storm!!

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Leonid meteor shower in 2001 in Japan was a meteor storm!! It was a true miracle!! I took these photos in Fujimi Highland, Nagano prefecture. This is the my best work now, and also probably in future :)

Radiant during
the peak period

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Nov. 18, 2001, from 26:52 to 28:02 JST

This is a combine image from 34 x 2-min exposures, taken with 50mm standard focal lens. It's just like a fireworks!! Unbelievable, but this is a phenomenon of nature!! At this period, about 30 meters were shown in a minute, or about 2000 meteors in a hour!!

A greenish star is shown at the radiant, but this is not a fixed star but a meteor. This is a very rare phenomenon called point meteor.

A nebula like object shown at lower right of center is an afterglow of a fireball (or bright meteor). This phenomenon is called meteor train. The fireball itself was not taken in this photo, because it was seen in a second when the shutter of the camera was closed. Meteor trains are very rare. But in this night, dozens of meteor trains were shown ;)

Taken at Fujimi Highland (Nagano prefecture) / Nov. 18, 2001, from 26:52 to 27:12 and from 27:14 to 27:12 JST(+0900), 34 x 2-min exposures / All meteors taken are combined into one image / Cannon EF50mmF1.8II at F2.5 / Fujicolor Superia1600 / Takahashi EM-1 equatorial mount / Film scanned with Minolta Dimage Scan Dual II / Image processed with Adobe Photoshop 5.0J + AstroArts StellaImage3 (including digital soft focus filter)

This image was published in Nov. 2002 and Dec. 2002 edition of monthly "Hoshi-Navi" magagine (AstroArts), and also "AstroGuide Astronomical Yearbook for 2003" (ASCII/AstroArts).

Winter Triangle during the peak period

Nov. 18, 2001, from 26:52 to 28:02 JST [ Enable constellation lines / High-res image ]

Taken at same period as 1st picture. Taken with saame method as 1st picture, but with 35mm wide field lens. This field is farther from the radiant, so meteors appear longer. Decorated with the Milky Way of Winter, this photo is heavenly beautiful.

Taken at Fujimi Highland (Nagano prefecture) / Nov. 18, 2001, from 26:52 to 27:12 and from 27:14 to 27:12 JST(+0900), 34 x 2-min exposures / All meteors taken are combined into one image / Cannon EF35mmF2.0II at F2.5 / Fujicolor Superia1600 / Takahashi EM-1 equatorial mount / Film scanned with Minolta Dimage Scan Dual II / Image processed with Adobe Photoshop 5.0J + AstroArts StellaImage3 (including digital soft focus filter)

Radiant after the
peak period

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Nov. 18, 2001, from 28:16 to 29:30 JST

After peak was over, number of meteors remained high until the Sun hides darkness of the night. The radiant went high in the sky, and meteors fell from high in the sky, just like rain. Yes, it was a meteor rain.

Taken at Fujimi Highland (Nagano prefecture) / Nov. 18, 2001, from 28:16 to 29:30 JST(+0900), 37 x 2-min exposures / All meteors taken are combined into one image / Cannon EF35mmF2.0II at F2.5 / Fujicolor Superia1600 / Takahashi EM-1 equatorial mount / Film scanned with Minolta Dimage Scan Dual II / Image processed with Adobe Photoshop 5.0J + AstroArts StellaImage4 (including digital soft focus filter)

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