A southern Manitoba astronomy enthusiast is taking his passion for the night sky to the next level with a project that could put the region on the global astronomy map.<\/p>\n
Kenton Dyck, founder of the Pembina Valley\u2019s Astro Club, has become a familiar name for stargazers across southern Manitoba. Through sky-viewing events, school visits, and community outreach, he has helped bring astronomy closer to home for many in communities including Steinbach and surrounding areas.<\/p>\n
Now, he is working on a new project that could benefit both local residents and the global scientific community.<\/p>\n
Building a one-of-a-kind sky camera<\/p>\n
Dyck is constructing what is known as an AllSky Camera, a specialized device designed to continuously monitor and capture images of the night sky.<\/p>\n
Unlike most consumer technology, this type of camera is not available for purchase.<\/p>\n
Instead, enthusiasts like Dyck must build it themselves from scratch, a process that involves soldering electronics, assembling sensors, and writing custom software.<\/p>\n
Once completed, the compact system will automatically activate at night and begin recording images every two seconds.<\/p>\n
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Tracking meteors, aurora and even lightning<\/p>\n
The device is designed to do much more than take photos.<\/p>\n
Dyck says it will include sensors capable of detecting meteors as they streak across the sky, as well as monitoring aurora activity and changing weather patterns.<\/p>\n
\u201cI’m building sensors in it that will be able to do things like track meteors as they streak in. It will take that little flash of light, and it will record that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Additional instruments, including a magnetometer and a barometer, will allow the system to measure atmospheric and space weather conditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cBasically, any tool that you would use to measure atmospheric conditions will be put into this little box, and it will constantly be recording that information and sending it to a server that I will have at my house,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The system will also be highly sensitive.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo give you an idea of just how sensitive this device will be once it’s done, if there is a lightning strike anywhere within 150 kilometres, I will know about it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Putting southern Manitoba on the global network<\/p>\n
One of the most unique aspects of the project is its accessibility.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou will be able to log into this camera from anywhere on earth at any point and see what it’s seeing,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n