Introduction

imo-vmdb is a bridge between raw IMO visual meteor observation data and the tools you use to analyse it. It imports CSV files downloaded from the IMO VMDB, enriches each record with computed astronomical values (radiant positions, solar longitude, limiting magnitude corrections), and makes the results available via a REST API, a CSV export, or the Python API (imo_vmdb). The enriched data is particularly useful in analysis environments that have no built-in astronomical algorithms — for example the R package vismeteor on CRAN builds directly on this API.

imo-vmdb prepares and delivers data. It is not an analysis tool itself.

Install and run in two ways — see Setup for details:

• Python (pipx): recommended for most users; one command installs the CLI.

• Docker: no Python required; suited for server deployments.

Contents:

• About imo-vmdb
  • What it does
  • Coordinate systems and time
  • Accessing the data
  • Getting started
• Setup
  • Database
  • Python
  • Docker
  • Upgrading from earlier versions
• Command Line Interface
  • initdb
  • import_csv
  • normalize
  • cleanup
  • web_server
  • export
  • Exporting the whole database
• Web UI
  • Control panel
  • Downloads
  • Log output
• REST API
  • Base URL
  • Endpoints
  • Pagination and totals
  • Sorting
  • Field selection
  • Sporadic meteors
  • Related data via include
  • Examples
  • API specification
• Database download
  • GET /download/db

Reference:

• Python API
• CSV files
• Field Reference