Anyone know what might have caused this bright spot?

[DrRobin]

Hi,

I am imaging The Tadpoles (IC410) tonight in narrow band and one Sii frame showed a very bright spot, which does not appear on any other frames.  The spot looks out of focus, but is strange as there is no trail.  The exposure was 600 seconds, with a RC-250 and SX-35.

Does anyone know what it might have been?

Ta Robin

 

[coatesg]

Airplane strobe flash?

[DrRobin]

It might be, but then why didn't I get several in a line, that is usally what happens.  In addition I didn't hear an aircraft during the frame.  I checked FlightRadar24 for the time period, one aircraft did pass to the east of me, but looking at it's position and where my scope was pointing I doubt it was in the frame.

Would a strobe light show up in Sii?

 

[coatesg]

Guessing so - they are pretty bright and not monochromatic. Compared to normal [SII] sources, they are pretty bright!

[DrRobin]

I think you are probably correct, the out of focus image suggests it is close.  The only aircraft to come anywhere near during that frame was at 4,500 ft, so it was close enough to be out of focus on a F/8 system focussed several light years away.  The only thing the aircraft's track didn't take near the field of view, but the recorded track might be wrong and it might have been closer to my location.

Thanks.

[Hallingskies]

Head-on meteor?