Video Observation is the youngest and one of the most advanced
observing techniques in meteor science. Professional astronomers
started to use video equipment at the beginning of the
seventies, among amateurs the Japanese (1986) and Dutch (1987)
observers have been the first using this technology. By now,
video observations of amateurs have reached a semi-professional
level as appreciated by the corresponding IAU Commission 22. In
fact, regular observations of meteor shower with automatic video
systems have started in Germany in 1999, and the number of
participating observers is growing ever since. To actively
support further developments, a Video Commission of IMO was
founded after a one year preparation phase at the 1997 IMC in
Petnica. As a basis for the work of the commission acts a paper
that was published in WGN at that time. Video observation has
some advantages over other observation methods, to some extend
it even combines positive properties of other techniques. Using
a video system you have the pow