About

If you have any questions or comments, please send an email to: commentsATwww.skywatcher.net.nz (replace AT with @)

FAQ

Where are you?

In the township of Templeton on the SW boundary of Christchurch on the South Island of New Zealand - Google Map.

What make/model is the webcam?

It's a 2nd hand Canon 500D DSLR and 20mm lens in a homemade housing with a cheap floodlight attached for the window. It's controlled from a PC using Breeze Systems DSLR Remote Pro software and my own program which adjusts the aperture and ISO settings based on the elevation of the sun above or below the horizon. I also built a micro-controlled heater to stop condensation forming on the glass.

How accurate is the lightning detector?

The direction is reasonably accurate but the distance is only a (very) rough estimate based on the signal strength of the "sferic" received. I usually compare the direction with rain radar to work out which "blob" the lightning is coming from.

Was there a recent/historic lightning strike at/near {location}?

The limitations in accuracy of the detector mean I can't answer that. Also, the detector I have doesn't distinguish between cloud-to-ground (CG) strikes and intra-cloud (IC) strikes.