Accidental satellite observing, or something else?

[Oortrageous]

Tonight at approx 22:48 I was observing Saturn and trying to decide what objects I was seeing were moons and identify them. An object which appeared to be well in focus passed through the eyepiece, at a 'moderate' speed (read; too quick to track manually but slow enough to be sure it actually happened).

I'd be interested to hear what this was likely to be? I know there are lot's of satellites up there (and saw my first Iridium Flare tonight, which was much more exciting than I'd expected!), but would it have been in pin point focus in relation to having Saturn as my primary focus point?

Hope you all got treated to some nice skies tonight, stunning Luna viewing for me also!

Ryan

[ronin]

It will be a satellite, there are an awful lot of them up there, as in several thousand.

The main ones (big+bright) are listed in Heavens-above and Calsky.

They tend to make observers jump but imagers really dislike them.

If you really want a lazy nights observing you can get a camp bed out and lie on it and just look up. When your eyes get adjusted you will start to se several of them.

Sometimes they just appear and sometimes they just disappear - that is them leaving or entering the earths shadow, they have not switched off or on their cloaking device.

If possible combine that with a meteor shower watch.

[stash_old]

Not sure about the times but the ISS was clearly visible on three passes - one at 11.04 (lincolnshire) and was very very bright moving west to east so perhaps that is what you saw - it is alot brighter than your std sat and and by clearly seen with the Eye.

[IanL]

but would it have been in pin point focus in relation to having Saturn as my primary focus point?

Yes.  There is no practical difference in focus point between a star (tens or hundreds of light years), Saturn (1.2 - 1.7 billion km) and a satellite (a few hundred km), so it is just called 'infinity focus'.

[Umbraldot]

It's difficult to go out observing an not see at least one of these pass overhead. Sometimes two or three at a time!

[solarboy]

hi

when i have been out observing i have had a satellite go through my FOV it make me jump they are so bright somtimes

pete

[Spikey]

It's a satellite. You'll start to notice them a lot more now

[ronl]

You can get a precise time when the ISS is in your area if you

enter your location or nearest city in the box, it gives the times

if it's over your area for a month, mine is Chester.

http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_Kingdom&region=England&city=Chester#

[wxsatuser]

and they like to get in on the imaging.

ISS blasting past The Pelican.

Two unknown sats wandering thru the NA Pelican in a 3minute sub.

[brantuk]

If it was really sparkly bright like a pinball in the sky, and took about 5mins to go over, then you will have seen the 11:04pm pass of the ISS. It came round again roughly 90mins later but considerably dimmer.

[Saganite]

Hi Ryan,

I was observing Saturn at the same time, and saw the satellite

cross my field of view in a fraction of a second.

[ak47]

Stellarium can show you quiet a bunch of satellites that are above you at the moment, when i spot a "moving star" with my binos i check with stellarium to veriry if

it was a satellite or not and which one is it. two weeks ago i spotted the chinese Tiangong-1 , it always gets me pretty excited.

[Oortrageous]

It will be a satellite, there are an awful lot of them up there, as in several thousand.

The main ones (big+bright) are listed in Heavens-above and Calsky.

They tend to make observers jump but imagers really dislike them.

If you really want a lazy nights observing you can get a camp bed out and lie on it and just look up. When your eyes get adjusted you will start to se several of them.

Sometimes they just appear and sometimes they just disappear - that is them leaving or entering the earths shadow, they have not switched off or on their cloaking device.

If possible combine that with a meteor shower watch.

Thanks very much for the explanation, it certainly gave me a shock in the eyepiece haha!

Yes.  There is no practical difference in focus point between a star (tens or hundreds of light years), Saturn (1.2 - 1.7 billion km) and a satellite (a few hundred km), so it is just called 'infinity focus'.

Good to know as well! 

If it was really sparkly bright like a pinball in the sky, and took about 5mins to go over, then you will have seen the 11:04pm pass of the ISS. It came round again roughly 90mins later but considerably dimmer.

I'm sure it was the ISS I saw when I was looking with the naked eye, the time and description are spot on I never expected to get a buzz out of having seeing a man made object in space, not even the ISS with it's human cargo... realise what an arrogant perspective that was before now I've seen it myself haha.

Hi Ryan,

I was observing Saturn at the same time, and saw the satellite

cross my field of view in a fraction of a second.

Haha, how cool is that! 

[Oortrageous]

and they like to get in on the imaging.

ISS blasting past The Pelican.

Two unknown sats wandering thru the NA Pelican in a 3minute sub.

What beautiful images - I imagine the satellites could become a touch 'frustrating'!

Stellarium can show you quiet a bunch of satellites that are above you at the moment, when i spot a "moving star" with my binos i check with stellarium to veriry if

it was a satellite or not and which one is it. two weeks ago i spotted the chinese Tiangong-1 , it always gets me pretty excited.

I'm gonna have to get round to downloading Stellarium methinks! And wow, I didn't even know about Tiangong-1. Lot's of interesting reading for me, thanks!

[Oortrageous]

You can get a precise time when the ISS is in your area if you

enter your location or nearest city in the box, it gives the times

if it's over your area for a month, mine is Chester.

http://spotthestation.nasa.gov/sightings/view.cfm?country=United_Kingdom&region=England&city=Chester#

Awesome resource, my bookmarks are getting full as a bingo bus, haha!

[Oortrageous]

hi

when i have been out observing i have had a satellite go through my FOV it make me jump they are so bright somtimes

pete

Haha yeah it certainly gave me a start, like when you're really concentrating on something and someone sneezes or so and scares the life out of you!

[Owmuchonomy]

There's loads of them up there. If you use the free App Sputnik! then it tells you the predicted times and positions at your location. I usually chuck away at least 2 frames per session when I'm imaging due to the trails on the image.

[Steve-G]

I spotted the ISS for the first time the other night, an amazing sight. I now make a point of looking out for it as it's one of those things I never get tired of looking at. There a loads of free smartphone apps around that can be used to alert you when it's going to be visible from your location, together with numerous other satellites. It's rapidly becoming a kind of sub-hobby for me.