Iridium Flare in Leo [21.05.08] ???

[Jaffa007]

Hi,

Just after watching the ISS pass last night around 11:15pm. I was looking at Leo when I noticed a brightening light :shock: . First thought was it was a plane, as the flight path to Bristol & Cardiff are round my way. But it grew at a steady but rapid rate in brightness to then dim in the same fashion. It was around 11:30pm and was heading South to North direction. And cut right through the main body of Leo.

Anybody else see it?

James

[jgs001]

James, It was Iridium 47 at 2322 here. I caught it camera through the clouds.

[Jaffa007]

Thanks mate, post picture if you don't mind.

James

[jgs001]

James, here you go, I was fighting clouds, look just above and right of centre. Lower right of centre you can see Saturn and Regulus. It's quite light as I did that to try and see the flare more in the processing. I figured I'd take the pic anyway even with the clouds, having gone to the trouble of working out the angles and setting it all up in the first place.

[Jaffa007]

Great capture!

Thanks for posting

James

[SteelRat]

Oh, well caught John 8)

[jgs001]

You're welcome guys. I wasn't going to post it as it's a pretty carp picture really cos of the clouds.

[lunator]

James

Congrats on seeing the flare.

John you never know when an image you take proves useful

Cheers

Ian

[Talitha]

:thumbup: Great catch John! Looks like it tried to hide behind the clouds, but you got it anyway.

Last night at 11:16pm I accidentally saw a fantastic mag -7 flare while waiting for the ISS to clear the trees on the western horizon.

It was Iridium 23, and if I'm reading the H-A graphic properly, I was right in the flare center.

Serendipitous sightings are magical, but I sure wish I'd planned for this event.. never saw such a bright one before.

[jgs001]

Thanks Carol

[Astroman]

You're welcome guys. I wasn't going to post it as it's a pretty carp picture really cos of the clouds.

Nonsense! That's a fantastic image! Full of interest and intrigue, you caught it nicely.

[The Warthog]

It's a great image, showing that you can see these things through thin cloud if they are bright enough.