NOAK Observatory joined on 2023/04/15 in the Global Meteor Network https://globalmeteornetwork.org/ . It is a worldwide network that uses sensitive cameras to detect meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere. Most of these are due to pieces of rock left behind by comet tails. So by determining the orbit of these objects we can find out where in the Solar System they come from! In fact, if one of them is very large and a piece of it reaches the Earth, it may be possible to find it! The records are collected daily and sent to Canada. The observatory has been assigned the code GR0003.
The photos below show the camera's coverage area, which reaches as far as Romania. The observatory will frequently share the camera as mentioned in the Live streaming section. The sharing will be done through social media.
The Greek sector of the Global Meteor Network consisting of NOAK Observatory with station GR0003, Kedros Observatory with stations GR0002 and GR0004 as well as station GR0005 of Dimitris Georgoulas recorded the Perseid meteor shower phenomenon throughout its duration. The results were very impressive and in fact during the peak of the phenomenon on August 13 2024, GR0003 recorded 385 Perseids, GR0002 and GR0004, 354 and 393 respectively while GR0005, 149 Perseids. In this way, the great success and sensitivity of the system is proven.
In fact, after months of research and testing, it was now possible for the Greek network to become "autonomous". It is always included in the GMN but having acquired the appropriate tools it can now conduct its own research and produce its own results for the objects that pass over Greek space, so that their orbital data can be known and not only that.
Finally, in a short period of time, another 3 cameras will be added to help better cover some blind spots and additional areas.
Below is the description of a confirmed Perseid as recorded by 3 stations at its peak on August 13th! Its entrance was at 121 Km and its separation at 90 Km. Its speed was approached at 57 Km/s and the duration of its movement at 1sec.
Its orbit in the atmosphere
Stack image of meteors
The orbit with Google Maps
Its orbit in the Solar System
Its orbit in the Solar System
Its orbit in Greece
A gif file
An amazing meteor was recorded by the station GR0003 of the NOAK Observatory and the station GR0005 of my friend Dimitris Georgoulas which belong to the Global Meteor Network:
and from the stations belonging to the AllSky7 system and the University of Athens in the early hours of 02-18-2024. Several sites and television media of the country reported the event since it was visible in a large part of mainland Greece. The object exploded and broke into 2 or 3 pieces, at a great height and above the wider area of Ioannina! The images and recordings from the cameras of stations GR0003 and GR0005 installed in Ioannina are impressive.
The moment of disintegration
The trail it left in the atmosphere after its explosion
Recording from station GR0005
Recording from station GR0003
Leonids meteors 2023 (and not only). It is the remains of comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which has an orbital period of 33 years. Leonids are called because their radiant point is located in the constellation Leo. The phenomenon will be at its maximum on 17-18 November.
Two amazing meteors captured by my meteor recording system, code GR0003, on 2023-06-03 and 2023-06-09. The first, and longest, belongs to the meteor shower of the Northern June Aquilids. The radiant point from which they appear to originate is in the constellation of Aquila. Their velocity is around 40 Km/s and the time period when they are most intense is mid-June to late July. Their formation is due to the remnants left by the SOHO sungrazer comet C/2009 U10 during its closest pass by the Sun. Sungrazer comets are bodies that pass too close to the Sun and thus disintegrate after a few passes (perhaps the first one). NASA monitors the area around the Sun with the SOHO system to find such objects (and more). With a quick search through my website under Asteroids-> Data for all asteroids and comets, I found no evidence of this comet, so I conclude that it must have broken up during its passage through the perihelion.
The second meteor, and the most striking because of its brightness, does not belong to any known "rain".
To understand the area occupied by the two objects in the celestial dome, the vertical Field of View of the camera is 47 degrees, while the horizontal is 88 degrees..
Meteor from the "rain" of Northern June Aquilids.
Astrometric recording and determination of its direction.
The recording of a very impressive meteor.
Astrometric recording and determination of its direction.