Hmmm, I wonder what that UFO is? Anybody got any ideas???

[Tim]

While reviewing a few images from the other night I noticed an odd trail on a single star. Then saw that there is no star there, and then, after heavily stretching the life out of it, noticed that the tail of this thing has a curve in it.

 

It's a 10 minute exposure, and there is no trace on the frame before this one. It was the last frame too, so I don't know if it would have been on the next.  The apparent curve is throwing me, and the fact that it doesn't have the drag of the stars, which maybe indicates a short lasting but bright event?

Image taken on 8th May at 23:14.

I'd be grateful of any suggestions

[vlaiv]

Meteors usually look like that when their trajectory is viewed at shallow angle (almost parallel to trajectory).

You have faint part, then strong part as meteor hits thicker layers of atmosphere and then "fireball" - when it burns up in atmosphere.

Trajectory has that distinct shape of projectile in gravity field - parabola.

It just looks very curved because it is viewed at very shallow angle - it has much more delicate curve.

[Tim]

19 minutes ago, vlaiv said:

Meteors usually look like that when their trajectory is viewed at shallow angle (almost parallel to trajectory).

You have faint part, then strong part as meteor hits thicker layers of atmosphere and then "fireball" - when it burns up in atmosphere.

Trajectory has that distinct shape of projectile in gravity field - parabola.

It just looks very curved because it is viewed at very shallow angle - it has much more delicate curve.

Ah yes, hadn't considered that, but makes perfect sense. Many thanks

 

Tim

[bosun21]

What are those black circles in your image? 🤔

[Mr Spock]

25 minutes ago, bosun21 said:

What are those black circles in your image?

Dust bunnies 

[tomato]

Last night I had dancing lights on my All Sky camera, some bright, some faint, I went outside to have a look but nothing visible. On closer inspection, there was also a dark shape moving regularly across the FOV. You’ve guessed it, a spider was constructing a web from my streetlight shield across to my camera cover. I bet the industrious arachnid was not best pleased when I relocated it to a new site.

[StarryEyed]

One of these at warp speed.