The American Meteor Society

The sight of a bright fireball is a memorable and awe-inspiring scene. It is often the first contact that people have with the wonders of astronomy. Quite often it has also led to a life-long fascination with the heavens above. Meteor observing is a simple and inexpensive way to gain knowledge of astronomy and to make scientifically useful observations. The AMS is a group of meteor enthusiasts who wish to share their knowledge with fellow observers and the general public alike. These web pages contain everything one needs to get started in this fascinating field. Come join us for an out of this world experience! This outstanding photograph was graciously shared for our visitors to view by Howard Edin. He captured this bright fireball from the Okie-Tex Star Party on September 30, 2008. He used a Canon 20D camera combined with a Tokina 12-24 lens set for 12mm @f4. This was a single 30 second exposure at ISO 1600.

• Fireball Report Form, Have you seen a bright meteor? If so, fill in a fireball report form and report it to the AMS. We accept reports of meteors brighter than the planet Venus (magnitude -4 and currently located high in the evening sky) from all over the world.

• 2009 Fireball Sightings Table, Lists fireballs sightings submitted to the AMS for 2009. Compiled by Robert Lunsford.

• Weekly Meteor Activity Outlook, A short newsletter containing the latest information on current meteor shower activity. Written by Robert Lunsford.

• 2009 Meteor Shower Calendar, Lists meteor showers and their activity periods for 2009. Compiled by Robert Lunsford.

• Viewing Activity from the 2009 Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower, Viewing opportunities for the next major meteor shower. Written by Robert Lunsford

• North American Video Meteor Observations , By Carl Hergenrother. Since it is currently difficult for me to find time keeping the AMS table updated, please refer to Carl Hergenrother's fine site to view recent North American video observations.

• The Early Years of Meteor Observations in the USA , By Richard Taibi, AMS Staff Advisor on History

• Meteor Studies at Majden Observatory, featuring the work of amateur meteor spectroscopist, Edward Majden.

• An Audio Gallery of Radiometeor Events, showcases the unusual radio sounds created as ionized meteor trails reflect the transmitted signals of television stations far below. Compiled by James Richardson.

• AMS Observer Profiles, Noteworthy observers among the AMS membership. Started in September 2006, members will be added with each issue of Meteor Trails, the journal of the AMS. Compiled by Kim Youmans.

...in British Columbia, an observer will monitor his homemade meteor spectrograph, hoping to catch another rare spectrum of a meteor making its fiery plunge into the atmosphere. In Florida, another observer will operate his radio observatory, using home-brew computerized data acquisition equipment to catch the death cries of asteroidal sand grains and cometary balls of fluff blazing to glory at many miles per second. In California, an intensified meteor camera records the nights activity, and all across the continent, observers armed with only the simplest of equipment -- their bare eyes, a good watch, and a tape recorder -- will marvel at the beauty of the dark night sky while recording the parameters of each of the 10 or 15 sporadic meteors they see each hour. On a major shower night they may be busy recording a hundred or more meteors per hour! In Puerto Rico, a professional astronomer will use the giant Arecibo radio telescope in a radar mode to explore the world of micrometeoroids, the dust left over from the creation of our solar system -- and perhaps other star systems.

Beyond their love of the night sky and meteor science, these diverse individuals have one thing in common: they are all affiliates of the American Meteor Society, Ltd.

Welcome to the web pages of the AMS. We are an organization of amateur and professional meteor scientists and observers founded in 1911, with a common goal of studying meteors: - bright fireballs, the annual meteor showers, and the random sporadic meteors that appear every night. It's an exciting field, where amateurs equipped only with their eyes, a watch, and a tape recorder can make valuable scientific observations.

Anyone, regardless of prior knowledge or skill, interested in observing meteors and advancing meteor science is welcome to become an affiliate of the AMS. We also welcome casual browsers just looking for information on meteor showers; please look through the many resources available on our site for you.

As we approach our 100th anniversary, we invite everyone to join us on our journey in exploring meteor science - the most exciting field in astronomy.

Last Modified: May 8, 2009