Anyone have a clue to what this is?

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Agelesslink

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I have been stargazing for 3 weeks now and for the past three nights i've been seeing this light in the sky. Green light with a blinking red light. All I have to view it with is a 10x25 pair of binocs and it's too far out of sight to see clearly. It's also too high up to be a radio tower or something. I live in louisiana and the light is between Perseus and Camelopardalis. Just wondering what kind of aircraft or weather ballon can hover in the same spot for three days.
 
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adrenalynn

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None and none.

At a guess with the very little information you provide - a star.

Green to red flickering sounds like atmospheric disturbance observing a bright star. Probably Capella, which would be below and inbetwixt and below Perseus and Camelopardalis low on the horizon in the constellation Auriga.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2F143umtSZU[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shg5quUvmzA[/youtube]
 
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yevaud

Guest
Quite possibly a Blimp:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fg_jQ1-Pxok[/youtube]

Edit: or, possibly, they may have illuminated warning balloons over the spill site, to prevent accidental aircraft issues at night.
 
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Agelesslink

Guest
the capella flickering youtube video might be what im seeing. its blurred because of my crappy binocs. so it looks like an aircraft high up. im gonna look at it tonight again and see
 
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yevaud

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MeteorWayne":15t252q8 said:
Yep, sounds like Capella to me.

You might note he said it was high up in the sky; Capella is not high in the sky this time of the year, it's quite low near the horizon.

The green/red flicker is consistent though.
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
Depends on what time...

It rises around 8 PM, and reaches ~ 75 degree elevation by 4:45 AM :)
 
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yevaud

Guest
I wonder if he saw Comet Hartley 2 at the same time? It should have been very visible in close proximity to Capella.

Addendum: imaged, Hartley 2 not only has no visible tail, it's bluish-greenish (or so images I've see show).
 
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adrenalynn

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In good dark skies, I can't visually make out anything but the barest tinge of color from it naked-eye. With binoculars, it's a little yellow-greenish (20x100's)

I wasn't aware of a blimp on-station 24/7 there, thanks for edjumacating me! I never made any assumption that you didn't know what you were talking about, btw. You've always seemed knowledgeable enough to me! I pointed-out Capella for the same reason that I imaged it a couple years ago to post here: "What's that flashing thing in the sky" almost always ends-up being Capella or Arcturus when it's asked here at Space.com in my [limited] experience. I responded before you, and never meant to gainsay you!
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
Occam votes for Capella :)

Perseus is to the NE, wheras anything over the oil spill would be south or southeast.
 
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Agelesslink

Guest
its definately capella guys/gals. the universe has definately duped me into thinking it was an aircraft or some government experiment.lol thanks for the help everyone
 
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MeteorWayne

Guest
For a positive ID, just to the right of Capella is a nice isosceles triangle of mag +3 to +3.75 stars
 
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