Page Created: 2005 February 21
Page Last Updated: 2011 August 12
Welcome to Starlight Cascade Observatory FM Meteor Detection Page!
Near Yarker, Ontario, Canada. (44.22.39 N 76.45.47 W 155M Elevation)
FM Meteor Detector
Meteors entering the atmosphere will produce a trail of ions that will reflect radio waves. There is only a narrow band of radio frequencies where this will happen. At low frequencies (< 50 MHz) the ionosphere reflects the radio waves without meteors trails. At high frequencies (> 150 MHz), the radio waves are scattered for too short of a time (< 1 second). The FM radio band (88 - 108 MHz) falls within this frequency range.If we set up an FM Radio Receiver tuned to a station that under normal conditions we do not receive, we will receive it if a meteor passes between it and our location, with the radio signal reflecting off the ion trail.
