Did anyone see that? Explosion near Saturn

[spaceaddict84]

Good Evening Everyone, 

My nephew received a simple telescope for Christmas. We were outside gazing at the jewel planet Saturn between 6pm and 7pm. As I was looking up at Saturn with out the telescope there was a bright light to the just to the left. For less than a second the light got brighter then it completely disappeared. Any one have an idea of what I saw?

I believe it was a exploding star or a supernova. But I don't see any other observations of it online. I don't believe it was a shooting star or meteor because is stayed in one place and wasn't moving. 

Thanks 

 

[Sunshine]

I suppose if a shooting star were falling through the atmosphere at just the right angle where it was on a heading directly towards you it may look like a flash of light and not a streak?.

[TheMan]

I know if an object is in a high velocity hyperbolic orbit, it's orbit could go through the planet in such a way that it would hit the planet head on, thus showing no streak. But that would be an amazing sight to see that, I wish a saw it.

[dweller25]

Most likely a meteorite or an iridium flare

[Debo]

3 hours ago, spaceaddict84 said:

We were outside gazing at the jewel planet Saturn between 6pm and 7pm.

Hi

Saturn is not currently visible at that time from my location, from where did you make your observation ?  

 

[Demonperformer]

Saturn is currently less than 7 degrees from the sun, setting less than 30 mins after it ... Very curoius ...

[Stub Mandrel]

Possibly Mars.

Supernovas last days or weeks not seconds.

Could have been an iridium flare or a head on meteor.

[Stu]

Saturn is showing as being below your horizon at 6.30pm which is strange. Could you see the rings? Most likely Mars as per the previous post which is higher and further from the sun.

Supernovae last for days or linger, and are unlikely to be that bright so I'm guessing either a head on meteor or tumbling satellite.

[Moonshane]

Could it have been an aeroplane flying right at you and then turning?

[spaceaddict84]

11 hours ago, Sunshine said:

I suppose if a shooting star were falling through the atmosphere at just the right angle where it was on a heading directly towards you it may look like a flash of light and not a streak?.

Thanks for the help in my investigation. Now that I think about it. Jupiter was the planet that I was looking at. Mars was right above me then Jupiter. Could not see it clearly in the telescope. But it could have been a shooting star or meteor moving directly toward me. Possibly exploded not leaving a streak. Either way it was very cool. Especially when you end up being the only one that see's it. 

[Stu]

46 minutes ago, spaceaddict84 said:

Thanks for the help in my investigation. Now that I think about it. Jupiter was the planet that I was looking at. Mars was right above me then Jupiter. 

Wouldn't have been Jupiter either I'm afraid. Mars would have been at about 49 degrees altitude in the SSW, but Jupiter is close to the sun as a morning object now.

[Ruud]

If you get Stellarium you can see what was up and what was not at the place and time of your observation. I too looked which planet you could have seen, and only Mars fits the bill. Except that it doesn't look a lot like Saturn.

Stellarium is free: https://stellarium.org

F6 opens the location window. Charlottesville is in the list and you can use that initially. It's close enough. Navigate to the right time and check what was up. 

You can see that Saturn set right after the Sun (in the West), and that Jupiter was already below the horizon when the Sun was still up. Mars was up when it got dark.

[Gina]

Mars is distinctly red, unlike the other planets. even to the naked eye.

[Pig]

17 hours ago, spaceaddict84 said:

Good Evening Everyone, 

My nephew received a simple telescope for Christmas. We were outside gazing at the jewel planet Saturn between 6pm and 7pm. As I was looking up at Saturn with out the telescope there was a bright light to the just to the left. For less than a second the light got brighter then it completely disappeared. Any one have an idea of what I saw?

I believe it was a exploding star or a supernova. But I don't see any other observations of it online. I don't believe it was a shooting star or meteor because is stayed in one place and wasn't moving. 

Thanks 

 

Hi there, I have seen similar types of events of what you describe four times in 2018 in different locations of the night sky.

I am not sure what they are but I am sure their not the usual suspects such as iridium flares, meteors etc......On one occasion the huge increase in brightness lasted for around 20 seconds before simply disappearing !! 

[Ruud]

Maybe you saw a fireworks rocket exploding. Over here we have a lot of that at the end of the year.

A supernova explosion takes up to a few days to reach maximum brightness. Then it takes many weeks to dim again.

These are some supernova light curves:

  (from http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/T/Type+II+supernova+light+curves)

 

[TheMan]

20 hours ago, Demonperformer said:

Very curoius ...

I agree. Saturn is also only 14 arc seconds small at its furthest point, but at the moment mars is only 7.5 arc seconds at the moment. A decent scope could quite easily tell the difference. What are the specifications of your telescope and what size eyepiece were you using?

[Owmuchonomy]

Happens a lot here as the military helicopters leave or arrive at RAF Leeming. No sound, but a bright light lasting a few seconds in our direction as they orientate themselves.