Two satellites seen following each other 14/05/12

[joseph]

Yesterday, around 23.04 - 23.08, I saw two satellites rise from the south through the consellation of Virgo going north westerly. The only other time I have seen this happen was when the space shuttle was docking with the ISS. I looked at various programs to try determine what I had seen but none seemed to suite the bill. Did anybody else see it or know what it was?

[Davey-T]

Don't know what you saw but some satellites do go round in groups of more than two

Davey-T

[SFlowers]

Don't know what you saw but some satellites do go round in groups of more than two

Davey-T

Like women going to the bathroom in a pub...

[Hitesh]

Snap I saw them too!!!

[mrXR47]

My friend and I saw this occur at about 3:30am July 5, 2014 in Central Wisconsin. My friend was shining his flashlight in the trees, so we were both looking up in the direction of the satellites when the lead light shown very brightly toward us. That light then pivoted toward the direction they were headed as its brightness faded and the two lights continued on their way for a few moments until they disappeared. Did anybody else see this?

[D4N]

It could be GRACE, a pair of gravity measuring satellites that are 220km apart.

TSED70Q, iOptron Smart EQ pro, ASI-120MM, Finepix S5 pro.

[Lowjiber]

It could be GRACE, a pair of gravity measuring satellites that are 220km apart.

I agree.

[bejay1957]

Or US NOSS birds, have seen these in a formation of 4

[Cath]

Might have been the two Galileo satellites that were launched a few days ago that decided they'd rather go their own way

[ronin]

NOSS Satellites.

http://www.satobs.org/noss.html

[ronin]

Just read the "search" text that is displayed for one result, the artical starts with:

"The Navy Ocean Surveillance Satellite (NOSS) system is possibly the most secretive of US military satellite programmes."

So why when you put "NOSS satellites" into google do you get 2280 results if it is so secret? :grin:

If you go to satflare it seems you can track them in real time, so I guess they are not so secret. :rolleyes:

[AndyWB]

Well the atomic weapons establishment is secret, but if you google it you get 1.5 million results, so I reckon NOSS is doing okay. 

I believe that there are Chinese equivalents too, though I think I remember reading that they're in triplets, not pairs. I think they're called Yaogan.

[ronin]

Was the atomic weapons establishment ever a secret?

Every one knew of it, where it was and what it did.

I recall it from 45 years ago when at school, I debated applying to the place.

Think I recall seeing advertising leaflets for it as well. I can certainly recall a map of the place being available and showing the buildings.

Pretty sure that Tesco and Sainsbury's keep information more secret then our secret establishment s do.

[starman1969]

I'll second the NOSS satellites suggestion. I have witnessed these and they flashed very brightly for a few seconds. I confirmed what they were on Heavens Above.