What kind of trail is this?

[AstroExploring]

I’m used to having trails in my images but this one seems particularly odd with the short red and yellow lines in the middle! Anybody know what it is? 

[geordie85]

Plane? 

[Marvin Jenkins]

Close Encounters.

M

[Paul M]

Yup.

Red and green nav lights on wing tips. Stobes on wing tips and an amber strobe on the belly.

 

[Craney]

Benetton advertising using the StarLink satellites   ??

Edited May 31, 2020 by Craney

[RT65CB-SWL]

It is definitely an aircraft trail.

You have the port and starboard navigation lights with a white strobe light, (hence the gap in between), on the wingtips. The yellow one in the middle is the anti-collision light; (top and underside of the fuselage); (they are/appear as red or white strobe light at ground level), and are used when an aircraft is in the aircraft maneuvering area or on a gate/stand of an airfield prior to push-back, etc; so that ground staff are made aware that the aircraft engine(s) are due to startup or are running; or when the aircraft is in flight.  

Edited May 31, 2020 by Philip R

[Marvin Jenkins]

12 minutes ago, Craney said:

Benetton advertising using the StarLink satellites   ??

You know it will happen!

[Marvin Jenkins]

42 minutes ago, AstroExploring said:

I’m used to having trails in my images but this one seems particularly odd with the short red and yellow lines in the middle! Anybody know what it is? 

Just wanted to ask what are you imagining? Looks nebulous.

Marv

[Marvin Jenkins]

2 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

You know it will happen!

Nike written across the night sky.

[RT65CB-SWL]

6 minutes ago, KevS said:

Noticed that SpaceX had navigation lights, can't be a lot to bump into but I suppose it's an indication of orientation. 

In a nut shell... yes!

It does happen and sometimes gets reported. Just things like tools and other small FOD; (foreign object debris); cause a bigger dent or headache for those onboard a manned spacecraft/space-station or those in the flight control centre. 

[AstroExploring]

33 minutes ago, Philip R said:

It is definitely an aircraft trail.

You have the port and starboard navigation lights with a white strobe light, (hence the gap in between), on the wingtips. The yellow one in the middle is the anti-collision light; (top and underside of the fuselage); (they are/appear as red or white strobe light at ground level), and are used when an aircraft is in the aircraft maneuvering area or on a gate/stand of an airfield; so that ground staff are made aware that the aircraft engine(s) are due to startup or are running; or when the aircraft is in flight.  

Ah brilliant thanks so much! I knew it would be either plane or satellite I just hadn’t had a trail look that strange before. 

22 minutes ago, Marvin Jenkins said:

Just wanted to ask what are you imagining? Looks nebulous.

Marv

You are correct. IC1318 Butterfly Nebula, the bright star at the top is Sadr 🙂