An Odd Sky At Night Tonight

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
26/09/2009 03:25

26th September 3.20 am EES 110o compass point (please don't pick me up on this one) a strange sparkling light twinkling blue, red, yellow and white remaining static in the sky not too high above the horizon. Is this the International Space Station or the Turkish Military Spy Satellite? Whatever, it's very vivid tonight.



Richard

QweQwew


Joined: 02/08/2009
Posts: 60

Message Posted:
26/09/2009 03:35

it might be your burn crispy sunday lunch your wife has made you and its still in the microwave

keithcaley



Joined: 13/06/2008
Posts: 2521

Message Posted:
26/09/2009 08:38

Morning,

I'm not sure!

At 100 deg on the compass would be Procyon in constellation Canis Minor, at 125 deg you would see Sirius in Canis Major - both these stars are quite bright, and would be 15 to 18 deg above the horizon (90 deg being straight up ).

On a bearing of 110 deg you would be able to see Betelgeuse in constellation Orion, again it is a bright star, but fairly high - elevation 40 deg.

The only satellites that appear stationary are geosynchronous ones e.g. TV satellites etc, and of course these are all above the Equator - not in the direction that you were looking...

I'm pretty sure that it was too early in the morning for an object in the upper atmosphere to be catching the sun's rays.

Could your compass reading be a bit 'off'?

Or have you had a 'close encounter'?....