Clear skies but what was it?!?

[Tac]

At last some clear skies. So I got the Revelations out on the Horizon 8115 for the first time really since I got the tripod. What a rock steady set-up.

I started with Pleiades. WOW!!! On the tripod they are even more stunning. I then moved onto the Orion Nebula and again a much crisper view than hand held. I could clearly make out some of the stars in the centre. Next on to Betelgeuse which I just love looking at. I think it's the thought of the immense size of it and that it ready to go at any time (maybe a few thousand years yet).

As I was looking at Betelgeuse I saw a faint but fast moving object pass through the field of view from about 2 o'clock to 8 o'clock right between Betelgeuse and Alhena. I thought straight away that it must have been a satellite so I looked at my watch (it was 20:43) and I later checked StarWalk to see which satellite it was. At the exact time there is an object that passes through but I cannot click on it to find out what it was. The object also does not appear in Stellarium.

Can anyone shed any light on what this was?

Cheers and may the clear skies continue

[LukeSkywatcher]

It was most likely a satellite.

Check http://www.heavens-above.com/

[ralph1245]

The ISS passed over Orion about that time

[ralph1245]

Forgot to mention - on Stellarium there is a key at the bottom for satellites, hit that and up comes the orbit for various satellites thats how I found the ISS, rushed out just in time to see it pass over Orion

[Slangers]

Satellite for sure. I think I'm seeing one or two almost every time I go out with the scope now. I had one pass though the Pleiades as I was viewing tonight.

[Astromart]

- on Stellarium there is a key at the bottom for satellites, hit that and up comes the orbit for various satellites

I dont have that key !! I tried 'Help' & that suggested using the letter 'T' to track objects - doesnt work.

Any suggestions ??

[LukeSkywatcher]

On an average night observing i see perhaps 20-30 satellites passing by. I can really understand why astro photographers see them as "rodent". They are everywhere.

[Tac]

I think I have eventually sussed it out. Stellarium did not work despite it's huge database of satellites. I used StarWalk on the iPhone as that showed what I saw at the right time. It tells me it was SL-3 R/B.

Don't know why it doesn't show on Stellarium. I have all the satellites enabled and I spent a while making sure that my Long, Lat and Alt were all correct.

[xboxdevil]

I saw it too, although I didn't note the time, checking heavens above there was a -2.0 mag pass by iridium 39 in that area, so I guess it could have been that.

[Astromart]

I dont have that key !! I tried 'Help' & that suggested using the letter 'T' to track objects - doesnt work.

Any suggestions ??

Done it - I downloaded an upto date stellarium - 0.10.6

[Stargazing_Cliff]

I seen that fast moving thing with me binoculars

[Chris H]

You said it was faint so it may have just been a piece of junk flying around up there.