Meteors in Orion...?

[Saturnalia]

I just went out to see what the sky looked like for five minutes (too p*ssed to do any serious skywatching) - looks like a nice sky tonight.

I was gazing at Orion at around 00:30 and something shot across the low part of Orion - lasted for only a few seconds at high speed.

I had a bit of a meteor search but couldn't quite work out what I saw. It flew from left to right...Geminids...?

Satellite, meteor, meteorite, alien invaders...?

[Steve922]

The high speed would indicate a meteor - also, its unlikely to be anything in near-earth orbit (e.g. a satellite) that late at night.

Of course, it could always be aliens.

Steve

[StarGazer1818]

You could have seen a satellite. Was it fairly bright? If so, and it was flying left to right, it seems likely that it was a satellite. And if it disappeared after a few seconds, it could be because of the Sun. I am sure you would already know this, however. Lol. Great observation, though.

[Saturnalia]

I have to agree with Steve - I was lucky enough to see a satellite with the naked eye a few years ago and it moved pretty slowly...this shot past and seemed to disappear within a very short time. But then i can see how the glint of the sun could also be brief off a satellite.

I'm still going with the meteor - I had another look at the Geminids and it seems quite possible from their origins in Gemini, that one could head across the lower (nether?) regions of Orion from there.

Anyway - always worth looking up...

[Steve922]

If it was a Geminid, it will be seen to be travelling away from the radiant in Gemini. If not, it would have been a sporadic meteor. You won't see satellites bang in the middle of the night.

Meteors travel a hundred to a thousand times faster than satellites and a million times faster than comets! :-) Come on, fess up - you didn't mean comet did you? you meant meteor :-)

Steve

[Saturnalia]

Hehe - I did some editing on my original reply as this is getting more difficult to type as the evening wears on...

A sporadic meteor - that should suffice.

Cheers

[LukeSkywatcher]

It could have been a GRB (Gamma Ray Burst).

Just kidding it sounds like alien invaders to me.

[SlipperySquid]

It could have been a GRB (Gamma Ray Burst).

Just kidding it sounds like alien invaders to me.

I'm with you on this one Luke....Aliens For The Win.....

Deffo give away would be gap's in your memory.....sore behind....and fetid alcohol breath in the morning?

The Truth is Out There............

[LukeSkywatcher]

Deffo give away would be gap's in your memory.....sore behind....and fetid alcohol breath in the morning?

The Truth is Out There............

Nah that sounds like a typical saturday night out on the town.