Moving stars

[Andrewmelon]

Hello. When I am observing, without looking thru the lens, I see star looking objects. However, they slowly move across the sky. I don't know if these are planes that are flying super high or meteors but I makes me very curious. Can someone please tell me what these objects probably are?

[Ruud]

Hi Andrew, 

the slowly moving stars are satellites. The most obvious are the International Space Station and the Iridium satellites. The Iridium satellites can show very bright reflections of sunlight, and for the ISS you can subscribe to the Spot the Station service of NASA.

[Dave In Vermont]

To identify satellites up there. here's a good free program:

http://sourceforge.net/projects/previsat/

Also realize the more magnification you use in a scope, the faster objects move across your Field Of View (FOV).

Enjoy,

Dave

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire

[swag72]

Hi and welcome to SGL - Looks like you have your answer already  

Look forward to seeing you around

[Saganite]

Welcome to SGL Andrew 

[ronin]

Satellites. There are loads of the things, and if lucky (or not) a few other strange items - saw one 2 nights back that ws just plain weird. Suspect a high altitude military jet.

If you want something "different" visit heavens-above, give your location for Lat+Long and select Iridium Flares. Then go have a look of any that are due to pass you and flare.

You need a reasonably dark place simply to locate the satellite before it flares although HA is accurate, look in the direction given at the time given and the flare will occur.

From memory wasn't the amateur astronomers of Toronto "given" a nice observatory and the surrounding park some months back ?

If so wander along to one of their nights.

[damnut]

Hi Andrew,

Warm welcome to SGL, hope you enjoy the forums. I see your question has been answered..

[michigander]

Welcome to SGL, Andrew!

Blue Jays fan?

Dana

[xtreemchaos]

hi mate and welcome from charl in south wales.

[laudropb]

Hello and a warm welcome to the SGL

[Andrewmelon]

Thank you everyone

[baggywrinkle]

Welcome to SGL...

Not always satellites, often can be space junk....and there is lots of that.

When I was a youngster in the 60's it was a major event to see a satellite in transit....today....two a penny.

But the ISS is impressive.

[Ben_dingo]

I was observing with binoculars last night and I noticed what at first I thought was a bright star, though I hadn't seen anything there in the sky before. It was much whiter than any of the other stars and moved very quickly across the sky until it began to fade out. It disappeared after a few seconds. I thought at first it was a comet or a meteor, but could it have been a satellite or space junk, as suggested on this thread? I was observing about 11pm.

Welcome to SGL, Andrew! 

[steviegall]

ben i dont proclaim to be an expert but what id say you saw was the iss

from my own musings id say it disappeared because it entered earths shadow

[Astro Imp]

ben i dont proclaim to be an expert but what id say you saw was the iss

from my own musings id say it disappeared because it entered earths shadow

Exactly right.

[Ben_dingo]

Ah cool, thanks! 

[glowjet]

Hi Andrew and welcome to SGL, the past two nights have been extremely good for observing, here in the North of the UK. If you lay back in a chair and watch closely, there are various movements of pinpoints of light, if your lucky you may just see one turn into an Iridium flare, where it brightens very quickly for a few seconds, as the satellites elements catch the Sun. 

Chris Peats "Heavens Above" free program, is an invaluable source of up to the minute information, on amongst other things, Satellites, iridium flares, Comets and the path of the ever moving ISS. enjoy your observing and the forum

[Charic]

lol........and I though I was North?  6.5 Hours from  you, and  still another 3.5 Hours drive North  if you wanted to visit  Dunnet head, the most Northerly point on the UK  mainland ?

Aside though, the Jet-stream this far North is really playing havoc with the weather this Year, making observations very difficult, and the seasonal  lighter skies don't help either!

But on a Moonless  dark night, its crazy up here, up  in the night sky, things moving all over the place, and many  more to see with  binoculars, as most are too faint for naked eyes, well mine anyway!

Easy to track them if looking through the telescope or binoculars, but then a naked eye peek, and their gone! but even the bright ones fade out if you watch them long enough. 

[Ben_dingo]

Hi Andrew and welcome to SGL, the past two nights have been extremely good for observing, here in the North of the UK. If you lay back in a chair and watch closely, there are various movements of pinpoints of light, if your lucky you may just see one turn into an Iridium flare, where it brightens very quickly for a few seconds, as the satellites elements catch the Sun.

Chris Peats "Heavens Above" free program, is an invaluable source of up to the minute information, on amongst other things, Satellites, iridium flares, Comets and the path of the ever moving ISS. enjoy your observing and the forum

[Ben_dingo]

Sorry using my phone. I meant to quote the above and say that I googled "satellite iridium flare" and found a video. I can confirm that is what I saw.

It's the first time I've seen something that isn't a constellation or a star, and it feels amazing!

[dancollins22]

On 11/08/2015 at 04:37, Andrewmelon said:

Hi, I saw the stars move too, without a lens. Lots of them randomly moved across the sky simultaneously, and could not be described as satellites or shooting stars. I believe these were UFOs in the truest sense of the word, unidentified. Or stars moving. It was an ethereal experience, and one I will never forget.