The development of the Spanish Fireball Network using a new all-sky CCD system

Author(s): Trigo-Rodriguez, JM; Castro-Tirado, AJ; Llorca, J; et al.

Conference: Meteoroids 2004 Conference Location: Univ Western Ontario, London, ENGLAND Date: AUG 16-20, 2004

Sponsor(s): Gerenc Seguridad Ind & Protecc Ambiental RMNE; PEMEX Explorac Producc

Source: EARTH MOON AND PLANETS  Volume: 95   Issue: 1-4   Pages: 553-567   DOI: 10.1007/s11038-005-4341-9   Published: DEC 2005

We have developed an all-sky charge coupled devices (CCD) automatic system for detecting meteors and. reballs that will be operative in four stations in Spain during 2005. The cameras were developed following the BOOTES-1 prototype installed at the El Arenosillo Observatory in 2002, which is based on a CCD detector of 4096 x 4096 pixels with a fish-eye lens that provides an all-sky image with enough resolution to make accurate astrometric measurements. Since late 2004, a couple of cameras at two of the four stations operate for 30 s in alternate exposures, allowing 100% time coverage. The stellar limiting magnitude of the images is + 10 in the zenith, and + 8 below similar to 65 degrees of zenithal angle. As a result, the images provide enough comparison stars to make astrometric measurements of faint meteors and. reballs with an accuracy of similar to 2 arcminutes. Using this prototype, four automatic all-sky CCD stations have been developed, two in Andalusia and two in the Valencian Community, to start full operation of the Spanish Fireball Network. In addition to all-sky coverage, we are developing a fireball spectroscopy program using medium field lenses with additional CCD cameras. Here we present the first images obtained from the El Arenosillo and La Mayora stations in Andalusia during their first months of activity. The detection of the Jan 27, 2003 superbolide of -17 +/- 1 absolute magnitude that overflew Algeria and Morocco is an example of the detection capability of our prototype.