April 1, 2022
The Meteor Counter, a free iPhone app developed by NASA, is designed to harness the power of citizen scientists to keep track of meteoroids. Using the app, people from all walks of life can help NASA scientists discover new meteor showers, pinpoint comet debris streams, and map the distribution of meteoroids around Earth’s orbit.”
The Meteor Counter operates using an intuitive “piano key” interface. Every time users see a meteor, they simply tap the key corresponding to its brightness. With each keytap, the Meteor Counter records critical data, such as the time the meteor was seen, the meteor’s magnitude, and the observer’s location. Users can even turn on an optional voice recorder to capture their own description of events.
The Meteor Counter is designed for all kinds of observers, ranging from experts with experience in science-grade meteor observations to first-time skywatchers who might never have seen a meteor before.