What is a meteor camera
A meteor camera is a small computer-controlled camera positioned to look at a specific part of the sky. The camera takes long exposure images that capture stars, satellites and shooting stars. The shooting stars are streaks caused by small rocks burning up in the upper atmosphere; they can also be debris from satellites. Our meteor camera is part of a network of other cameras distributed throughout New Zealand called Fireballs Aotearoa. Collectively, these cameras give almost complete coverage of the sky above New Zealand. The video below shows all the meteors the entire network detected during May 2025. The New Zealand meteor network is part of the Global Meteor Network
Why does Star Safari have a meteor camera
We took the opportunity to install a meteor camera to be part of a scientific programme to understand more about meteors. The network has helped to understand meteor showers better and learn more about the size and speed of the objects. It takes a few cameras to see the same meteor to find information about it. Our camera has helped characterise thousands of meteors since we installed it in 2021. Below is a map of the meteors our camera has helped solve in the last 10 days.
(Loading...)
Colour coded by day
