Unexplained sighting

[Paul M]

It's a perfect clear sky here tonight but I've had a long day so not setting the scope up.

I decided to try and spot M33 with the bins from my back yard.

I stepped out on the decking and looked up to assess the sky quality and let my eyes dark adapt. I eyes were immediately draw to a pair of equal brightness, blue white "stars" in the general vicinity of iota Heculis. They were aligned vertically and not as bright as Vega but brighter than Deneb. They maybe a degree apart.

I was initially disorientated. Thinking one was a star and the other was a passing satellite. But there was no discernible motion. I checked my watch and it was 21:52.

As I raised the bins to have a look the upper object began fading rapidly. Even with the bins it faded from view rapidly but still no movement was observed. The lower one faded immediately after. 

The whole apparition lasted less than a minute.

The objects were very, very star like. Certainly not Chinese lanterns and given the breeze they would have shown movement across my  view.

There was no aircraft sound although it was in an area where Typhoon jets are flight tested regularly.

Satellite Safari offers nothing and Heavens Above has no Iridium Flares for that time.

I can only think it was a quad-copter but I'd still expect to see motion as at that scale it would have been very close.

Any ideas?

[Mukv]

greetings

I was on exercise on Dartmoor many years ago and a white parachute flare was launched the evening was warm and there must have been

an updraft because the flare held it's position above the nearby enemy position without decending for nearly 30 seconds,

I'm not suggesting this is what you observed but it something to ponder.. 

Andy (EX Royal Engineer)

[Paul M]

I'd not discount any explanation! I'm leaning towards an earthly explanation though.

We are on the coast and red flares are seen from time to time but through the bins these were absolutely star-like and stationary. 

[starman1969]

I've just checked my astro diary, and indeed I was out all night on the 14th. It certainly was a very clear night.

I visited places like Inskip & Elswick in my quest for darker skies. I don't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary, although I was hoping to see some Leonids, alas no.

The only lights in the sky, other than stars were these red lights, just outside Inskip city centre.

[Paul M]

I've just checked my astro diary, and indeed I was out all night on the 14th. It certainly was a very clear night.

I visited places like Inskip & Elswick in my quest for darker skies. I don't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary, although I was hoping to see some Leonids, alas no.

The only lights in the sky, other than stars were these red lights, just outside Inskip city centre.

I can only see the Inskip masts if I climb on the roof! 

You got winter Hill mast on the horizon too.

Years ago I used to fit a few TV aerials (and various other antennae) on roofs and chimney stacks and the like. It was very handy being able to see Winter Hill directly. That way when the customer asks "Why isn't my aerial pointing the same way as next door's?" I can say with confidence that it's theirs that's wrong!

[DeepSkyBagger]

If an aircraft is flying directly towards you, even if it is several miles away, the landing lights can be very bright. As the aircraft turns, especially if it is distant, the landing lights will seem to fade and disappear, without any apparent movement. Seen it many times, and it might be an explanation of what you saw.

Of course this only happens if the aircraft are fairly low down in the sky. At the time of your observation, iota Her would be about 70 degrees above your horizon, so nah, scrub that. Sorry. 

[Paul M]

I've watched landing lights on aircraft quite a few times and generally find them easy to identify (occasional plane spotter!). They tend to be off white/yellow due to atmospheric effects and can even twinkle.

Hercules was low on my NW horizon at the time and the objects were about 20 deg elevation and distinctly blue white. My eyes were immediately drawn to them as I stepped outside.

I know there are a handful of active forum members in my area and I was hoping one of them had seen these things too. Maybe could have triangulated to get a distance or a different viewpoint might have revealed what they were. 

Unfortunately they disappeared within a minute of me seeing them and I have no idea how long they had been there. Longer visibility might have allowed any motion to be more easily seen.

[DeepSkyBagger]

20 degrees elevation? You said they were near iota Her at 2152 on 14/11. Iota Her was 70 degrees above your horizon at that time.

[DeepSkyBagger]

Whoah! Sorry - my bad. 24 degrees. Phew!