What in the world was this unidentified object that showed up in my frame last night?

[psy1280]

I haven't the slightest idea what this is, hoping someone can clarify. Last night I was imaging NGC1499 using my Askar Fra600, 3nm Ha filter, 5 minute subs.  This clearly seems like an object and not a guiding glitch, etc., What confuses me more is that this was a 5 minute sub, if it was an orbiting object wouldn't it be more blurry?  Crazy, huh? (also, a jet traversed the frame)

[900SL]

I think it's Umpalumpa, returning to kidnap Avi Loeb

[900SL]

Which object are we talking about by the way? The Surfboard, or the invading plasma spider from planet 9?

[wxsatuser]

Looks like the underneath of a Boeing 737, when retracted the main gear still shows.

[Mr Spock]

I've edited your post to make it readable. If you are going to copy and paste from somewhere else you need to paste as plain text so it doesn't mess up the formatting 

[Elp]

Looks like the ghost of Greedo

[WolfieGlos]

I was thinking along the lines of Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear .....

[Elp]

3 minutes ago, WolfieGlos said:

I was thinking along the lines of Psycho Mantis from Metal Gear .....

But you'd need another (astro) controller to read his thoughts?

[WolfieGlos]

25 minutes ago, Elp said:

But you'd need another (astro) controller to read his thoughts?

Perhaps the (ASI) air ?

[bosun21]

Looks like the return of the Silver Surfer.

[orly_andico]

Yep, it's the underside of a 737.

Edited December 14, 2023 by orly_andico

[900SL]

What doesn't add up is that was a 5 minute sub. Unless the aviation light somehow acts as a strobe flash? 

[Elp]

I don't get why it's not blurred. Planes have lights on their wing tips so they'd be a pulse like trail across the image for each light and they'd be no detail unless it were completely stationary for the whole exposure.

[Gfamily]

3 hours ago, 900SL said:

What doesn't add up is that was a 5 minute sub. Unless the aviation light somehow acts as a strobe flash? 

That's what I'd say - a brief illumination from the centre of the fuselage illuminating the landing gear and the engine pylons. 

[Jules Tohpipi]

It's definitely the underside of an aircraft. In otherwise complete darkness, a very brief-duration flash to the area would freeze its motion - regardless of the exposure time. 

Edited December 17, 2023 by Jules Tohpipi

[Elp]

But no lights on the edges of each wing which would trail across the whole image? And it's must be incredibly low (as in very very low) to capture it so magnified.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Elp

[The Admiral]

I'm not sure that the FoV is wide enough to capture the wingtips.

Ian

[Jules Tohpipi]

12 minutes ago, Elp said:

But no lights on the edges of each wing which would trail across the whole image? And it's must be incredibly low (as in very very low) to capture it so magnified.

The engine pylons only just fit into the frame, let alone the wingtips...

[Elp]

I see it now. But you also get lights on the tail, and the plane has to be incredibly close like landing approach (or a low flying monitoring aircraft) which the OP still hasnt clarified.

Edited December 17, 2023 by Elp

[The Admiral]

Well, to play devil's advocate, may be the exposure terminated before the tail light could be imaged! 😉

Ian

[DaveL59]

6 minutes ago, Elp said:

I see it now. But you also get lights on the tail, and the plane has to be incredibly close like landing approach which the OP still hasnt clarified.

From that image the gear is up and the segment visible only extends to the engine pods (surfboards as 900SL put it). So the underbody anti-collision light would be like a strobe flash lighting that area and freezing it in frame. As to how low, not necessarily depending on the magnification used it could be 5-8K feet up.

Edited December 17, 2023 by DaveL59

[Elp]

It's incredible to have captured it though. I usually have a low flying monitoring aircraft around most nights and the many hours of imaging have never caught it mid frame.

[The Admiral]

How many imagers find an aircraft in their frames when imaging the Sun/Moon? And given that those objects are only about a half degree across, one might think that is unlikely too, but it happens. So is getting a big payout on the premium bonds!

Ian

[DaveL59]

10 minutes ago, The Admiral said:

How many imagers find an aircraft in their frames when imaging the Sun/Moon? And given that those objects are only about a half degree across, one might think that is unlikely too, but it happens. So is getting a big payout on the premium bonds!

Ian

Yep, many times just observing visual, had an owl fly across the FoV one night too, even rarer than planes 🙂