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Satellites, meteoroids or artifacts?

Skwinty

Philosopher
Skwinty
Joined
Jun 16, 2008
Messages
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I took this picture, one of many, on friday 12th October 2012.

There is an obvious satellite track in the picture. (I doubt it's an aircraft because it shows no strobe effect.)

If you zoom in on the picture, you will notice quite a few other tracks.
The question is, meteroids, satellites of artifacts?

Opinions please.:)

ETA: To be more specific, the tracks starting to the left of the solid track and stretching to the right.

specific.jpg



4498.jpg
 
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if you leave the shutter open longer than 7 or 8 seconds, everything moves enough to make them seem elongated or leaving a track...
 
I know the Iridiums spin, but I haven't watched the sky for years now and have never seen one. Would need to be somewhat near dusk/dawn to catch the sun though. Seen many sats though. In a dark sky it's hard not to.
 
rwguinn said:
if you leave the shutter open longer than 7 or 8 seconds, everything moves enough to make them seem elongated or leaving a track...
Click to expand...

Most of my exposures range between 30 to 60 seconds @ f4 with a 17mm lens so the star tracks are reasonably short.

If you look at the converging trails with what looks like a galaxy shape, the direction of the trail moves in a different direction so not due to the earths rotation.

See the other thread for another picture of the centre of the Milky Way with another 2 trails.

http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showpost.php?p=8702811&postcount=7
 
I think it might be attack ships burning off the Arm of Orion, but I could be wrong...
 
Henry Skinner said:
I noticed only one of them, that's why I asked. Tumbling satellite, I'd say.
Click to expand...


Thanks for identifying Grus. I had yet to try and identify which constellation it is.

The jpg loses resolution, but the raw image shows 2 similar trails with the same characteristic galaxy shape.
 
The number of satellites I see when stargazing never ceases to amaze me.

I wonder how many tonnes of man made objects currently orbit earth.:boggled:
 
Henry Skinner said:
They are, in the constellation GrusWP. It's not a part of the sky I'm familiar with.



I noticed only one of them, that's why I asked. Tumbling satellite, I'd say.
Click to expand...

If you look closely, in the first pic there is a very faint trail almost exactly from the lower left to upper right corner, varying in intensity at regular intervals. The two "galaxy shaped" pulses are along the trail, as well as a third fainter pulse in the upper right.
 
Mmmm, photobucket chops too much.

Any suggestions for an alternative?
 
phunk said:
If you look closely, in the first pic there is a very faint trail almost exactly from the lower left to upper right corner, varying in intensity at regular intervals. The two "galaxy shaped" pulses are along the trail, as well as a third fainter pulse in the upper right.
Click to expand...

I see 5 evenly spaced pulses on the zoomed image, which I've circled in red. There's parts of a very faint line visible between the second and third, but I'm not convinced the line is actually visible on the rest of the picture. There's also a similarly faint line near the top of the picture, circled in green, that appears to be something separate.

My vote goes with satellite as well, since I'd expect something like a plane to be much brighter.

specific_zpsed21214e.jpg
 
Here is one with a definite aircraft trail.

I heard it and it sounded like a big twin piston engined aircraft.

FlyingtheStinger_zps918f396a.jpg
 
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