Sighting/Observation

Status
Not open for further replies.
U

uuuu

Guest
29 Sept 2006 in Central Mississippi<br /><br /> I walked outside earlier - around 8:05 - 8:10pm CDT. I glanced up, and I was baffeled when I saw two bright stars. The thought "Gemini" flashed and was immediately nixed. I was looking north at what appeared to be Cassiopia. Yes, it was cassie, very dim because of a moderate haze as night set in.<br /><br />I gazed on thinking "nova;supernova?" Then after 5 or ten seconds, BOTH "stars" dimmed into nothingness, taking maybe 5 seconds to dissappear!<br /><br />WHAT DID I OBSERVE? Anyone else observe this phenomina?<br /><br />I have been looking skyward many years, but have never seen anything quite like this, although I can think of two phenomina that it could be.<br /><br />
 
D

disownedsky

Guest
<p>If it was just one, I would think you saw an Iridium flare. It was certainly the right time of day to observe a satellite,and Cassiopiea is roughly in the East, where you would see satellites in the evening. Perhaps two satellites in formation, both flaring from your point of view at about the same time. Perhaps oneof the satellitetracking sites like calsky can answer your question<br /><p>I've observed flares many times, but only one satelite at a time.</p></p>
 
U

uuuu

Guest
You are right: Cassie was more to the East at the time of the observation! I'll give a more accurate position of the objects later. The objects were definitely north, elevation 15+ degrees, at the time of observation.<br /><br />I thought flares and satellites, too. As far as satellites go, the objects were stationary. Another thought is a meteor or dislodged satellite broken into two almost equal parts, falling head on. However, after observing many such meteors in the Leonids few years back, I have serious doubts. The initial intensity was constant until a slow fade to extinction began.
 
K

Kalstang

Guest
<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>I thought flares and satellites, too. As far as satellites go, the objects were stationary. Another thought is a meteor or dislodged satellite broken into two almost equal parts, falling head on. However, after observing many such meteors in the Leonids few years back, I have serious doubts. The initial intensity was constant until a slow fade to extinction began.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />Could be any of these yep <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> . Another theory is possibly a black hole forming? Just before it totally collaps? From what i've heard at a certain point there is a short burst of intense energy/light that gets shot out into the universe just before the actual formation of a black hole. Kind of like a hiccup from stars. Could be that when the one star started collapsing it did something to its neighboring star to go poof also...perhaps create two black holes which would then form one upon completion? Tho most likely the black hole just forming caught the other sun at a very unstable moment and made it explode but because of the black hole was just being formed not much of it got away. Could be that you were lucky enough to see such a thing. I would imagine something like this being extremely rare. <br /><br />Wonder if this is possible? Anyone? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ffff00"><p><font color="#3366ff">I have an answer for everything...you may not like the answer or it may not satisfy your curiosity..but it will still be an answer.</font> <br /><font color="#ff0000">"Imagination is more important then Knowledge" ~Albert Einstien~</font> <br /><font color="#cc99ff">Guns dont kill people. People kill people</font>.</p></font><p><font color="#ff6600">Solar System</font></p> </div>
 
Q

qso1

Guest
It may be possible but as you mentioned, extremely rare. Seeing two stars within relative proximity to one another don't always mean they are that close. One star might be six Ly away while an apparently nearby star may be 200 Ly distant.<br /><br />The only explanation I've been able to come up with is that there was a high altitude cloud layer that gradually blocked the stars from view. A cloud layer high enough not to reflect the street lights on the ground.<br /><br />I wasn't there so I don't know for sure but the clouds blocking the stars seems the most likely explanation except for the fact the time you mentioned. Was the stars or whatever it was visible against a dark sky or twighlight, of full daytime sky? <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>
 
K

Kalstang

Guest
I hadnt considered that the stars may not be "close" together...hrmm I think that something like he described plus what I talked about only with the stars being farther apart would be even more rare then my first theory. But I do agree with ya. <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /><br /><br /><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>The only explanation I've been able to come up with is that there was a high altitude cloud layer that gradually blocked the stars from view. A cloud layer high enough not to reflect the street lights on the ground.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br /><br />I would agree that this is another more likely scenario. Mine is pretty far fetched <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> . <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ffff00"><p><font color="#3366ff">I have an answer for everything...you may not like the answer or it may not satisfy your curiosity..but it will still be an answer.</font> <br /><font color="#ff0000">"Imagination is more important then Knowledge" ~Albert Einstien~</font> <br /><font color="#cc99ff">Guns dont kill people. People kill people</font>.</p></font><p><font color="#ff6600">Solar System</font></p> </div>
 
Q

qso1

Guest
Even my theory is only possible if its a thin cloud layer pretty much invisible because its dark or pretty near dark. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><strong>My borrowed quote for the time being:</strong></p><p><em>There are three kinds of people in life. Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen...and those who do not know what happened.</em></p> </div>
 
G

green_meklar

Guest
<blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /><p>Another theory is possibly a black hole forming? Just before it totally collaps? From what i've heard at a certain point there is a short burst of intense energy/light that gets shot out into the universe just before the actual formation of a black hole.<p><hr /></p></p></blockquote><br />The chances of such an event occuring that close and releasing enough visible light to be seen with the naked eye aren't very good. And the chances of it happening twice at exactly the same time in the same area of the sky are vanishingly small. I would say that this idea of a cloud blocking out the pair of stars is much more probable. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>________________</p><p>Repent! Repent! The technological singularity is coming!</p> </div>
 
K

Kalstang

Guest
I'll agree with your assesment. Tho to see something like that would be awesome <img src="/images/icons/smile.gif" /> . Even if you didnt realize it till YEARS later lol <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <font color="#ffff00"><p><font color="#3366ff">I have an answer for everything...you may not like the answer or it may not satisfy your curiosity..but it will still be an answer.</font> <br /><font color="#ff0000">"Imagination is more important then Knowledge" ~Albert Einstien~</font> <br /><font color="#cc99ff">Guns dont kill people. People kill people</font>.</p></font><p><font color="#ff6600">Solar System</font></p> </div>
 
N

nashville

Guest
I saw it too! I just regestered here so I could tell you.<br /><br />Exact same time, in Nashville. I walked out to look at Cassiopia to see if I would be able to use the telescope.<br /><br />Just below the two botton stars of the 'W' I saw two 'Venus' bright points of light ( spaced about the width of the top of the 'W'). Lasted for 10 seconds or so. The point of light to the North faded away first, then the other.<br /><br />I have seen the ISS and Shuttle pass over countless times, I have seen an Iradium flash a few times.<br /><br />I have never seen anything like this before.
 
G

green_meklar

Guest
Well, Nashville is in what, Tennessee? So I guess that rules out the cloud theory, unless you both got clouds at the same time. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>________________</p><p>Repent! Repent! The technological singularity is coming!</p> </div>
 
U

uuuu

Guest
Nashville, et al:<br /><br />Thank you all for the responses and theories. <br /><br />Nashville: Tonight, weather permitting, I will try to get a little better position on the sighting. A brief check indicates that a very loose approximation of the position of the objects is ~ North, 015 degrees , 20 degrees elavation.<br /><br />It was a little hazy here, and I mistook a star pattern for Cassie. What I saw was NOT in Cassie. I BELIEVE it was 'between Ursa Major and Camelopardalis. Again, I will attempt to realign everything tonight.<br /><br />Thanks for registering and for your post Nashville. I too regestered just to post the info. I have observed a daylight explosion of a MERV in space - initially a bright round light that pinwheeled to take up a quarter of the sky, the appearing to IMPLODE from the perimeter inward. This was weird! My immediate thought was: rocket explosion in space. My security clearance allowed me to confirm this the next morning. The point: I am a trained observer. This wasn't as weird as some things that I have seen, but it is the first time that I have no single plausible theory with any confidence.<br /><br />Like you, Nash', the north point of light dimmed out slightly before the south. However, while fading, the norther most appeared the brightest.<br /><br />More later.
 
U

uuuu

Guest
The weather did not cooperate. Tonight does NOT look good, either.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts