allskykamerat

An allsky camera, sometimes referred to as a sky camera or fisheye camera, is a type of camera system designed to capture a panoramic view of the entire celestial dome. Typically, these cameras employ a very wide-angle lens, often a fisheye lens, to achieve a hemispherical field of view. The primary purpose of an allsky camera is to monitor and record astronomical phenomena across the entire sky simultaneously.

These devices are frequently used in meteor astronomy to detect and track fireballs and meteors. By continuously capturing images, an allsky camera can record the trajectory, brightness, and duration of these transient events. This data is crucial for scientific analysis, allowing astronomers to study meteoroid populations, their orbits, and potential impact hazards. Beyond meteors, allsky cameras can also observe other atmospheric and celestial events such as aurorae, noctilucent clouds, lightning, and even the passage of satellites or aircraft against the backdrop of the stars.

Allsky camera systems can range from simple setups using consumer-grade cameras to sophisticated professional installations. They are often employed in observatories, research institutions, and by amateur astronomy enthusiasts. Data collected by allsky networks can be shared and correlated among multiple stations to provide a broader geographical coverage and more robust measurements of astronomical events. The continuous monitoring capability makes them invaluable tools for observing unpredictable and widespread phenomena.