What you you think this ufo is?

[MikeD]

I was imaging NGC891 tonight and I noticed this object passing through the fov.

the subs where 5 Min's long and it showed up in three so the sequence is 15 Min's .

I am assuming it's a satellite but I have never captured one traveling so slow.

The frames have been very crudely screen stretched in maxim so forgive the dark edges.

your thoughts

mike.

[barkis]

I would say it is a satellite. It appears to fade in the last image, inicating it could be passing into the earths shadow.

Ron.

Just noticed, there are two trails, almost 90 degree angle.

[MikeD]

Hi Ron,

Sorry that's just the way I have the screen stretch set in maxim when imaging here is the last frame with a more even stretch.

Mike

[MikeD]

Just noticed, there are two trails, almost 90 degree angle.

Yes and the second in the last frame is more like I would expect, just hapend to catch it in the sub maybe taking 10 secs to pass through my fov, but the other took 15 Min's to pass half way across the same fov.

Mike

[GazOC]

Was the image taken in a Newt? (If not my theory goes out of the window!!!)

[MikeD]

Yes it was , what the theory?

Mike.

[GazOC]

This is a bit of a stretch, so go easy on me......

The object is a sattelite, it goes though your FOV at just the right time to catch the back end of the first 5 minute sub, all the the second sub and front end of the last sub. That way it needs 6 minutes not 15, it then gets to the centre of your FOV and causes the diffraction spikes at 90 degrees.......

[MikeD]

OK, but the first and last tracks are the same length ( or very close) as the 2nd sub so it has to be around 15 Min's.

The 90 degree track in the last frame is just IMO your comanal garden satellite track( just a chance thing and not related to the first track), if you look at the bright stars you can see the angle of the diff spikes is not the same.

Also the object was moving away from the centre of the fov( I would have got more from before but I was messing with guiding settings ).

mike.

[GazOC]

The track is a lot shorter in the first sub, but I take your point, I dunno mate!!!

In the absence of anything else I'm going to stick with my original theory..

[The Warthog]

I would suggest it is a satellite in a very high orbit. It's no use trying to find it in Heavens Above, as it's too faint to make their list, but that is probably what it is. I don't know how bright it is, or what direction it's moving. If it's E-W, could you have possibly captured a geosyncronous satellite? Your mount would provide the illusion of movement, very slow movement.

[MikeD]

E-W is parallel to the bottom of the image, my scope is set up so the diff spikes are orientated to north south east west and the cam is set to the diff spikes.

So the object is travelling SW to NE

Mike.

[jj1]

hmm, the geo stationary sats move at the same rate as earth turns.

Love to think you found an asteroid

But whatever it is, thats a damned fine pic Mike!

TJ

[Talitha]

Great capture, Mike! There's so much stuff up there... maybe it's orbital debris (aka space junk ).

[The Warthog]

hmm, the geo stationary sats move at the same rate as earth turns.

TJ

Yes, so they would appear to move against the background of the sky, as they are over the same spot on earth, not in the same spot in the sky. It is an unlikely scenario, and much more likely to be a satellite in a high orbit.

[Anubis]

I agree with Warthog's theory. Would explain the slow movement peferctly.

[EA2007]

Its clearly Gordon Brown flying off to save another country from the perils of the economic downturn!

Use your brains guys lol!!

[narrowbandpaul]

can u specify the number of pixels moved in that 15min exposure...

can then work out total angular distance moved, and then convert to radians to find omega, and omega is GM/R^3...so can then work out the estimated height of the satellite, assuming it is gravitationally bound to the earth.

Need to know whether the track is in the same direction as the earths rotation, or against it...or at right angles, thus not contributing...

can prob get an accurate answer this way...might indicate geosynchronous?

paul

[timetraveller]

hiya mike i was out observing last night and actully counted 5 meteors blazing a traill south west to North east in the space of about 3/4 hour passing almost across my zenith wonder if that whats you caught in your images

regards Pete