Unexpected magnitude

[fractionofadot]

<p>Hey,</p><p>Ok.. I don't know where else to ask.</p><p>http://www.heavens-above.com/allsats.asp?Mag=4.5&lat=53.217&lng=-6.667&loc=Naas&alt=110&tz=GMT</p><p>That's my position, about 10:15, possibly earlier, a satellite that roughly fits the description of Lacrosse 2 came slowly across the sky. </p><p>It was not a magnitude 4.5, not in a million years. Today has been extremely hazy and it's continued into the night. The moon is hard enough to make out. This was brighter than the space shuttle, and at least as bright as the ISS.</p><p>When I first caught sight of the object I thought it might have been Arcturis, then maybe Mars, then I realised it was even brighter, then I realised it was moving, briefly I considered an airplane, but it was too slow, I ruled out a helicopter due to the alititude. Anyway I got to see it through binoculars which were lying handy on the table inside, no navigation lights. It was an orange colour - which most likely can be attributed to the atmosphere. </p><p>It moved in an arch type shape, which I'm used to observing from seeing the ISS, Shuttle, or ATV over the years, but what struck me as extremely odd was the direction (clockwise to the observer compared to the previous ones listed) and the brightness. The ISS is roughly -2, this was at least the same, especially considering the haze existing today.</p><p>So I guess my question is - is it possible Lacrosse could have, through whatever circumstances, become a -2 magnitude object.</p><p>I observed this with another person for a few minutes, it gradually flickered out of sight - I was able to see it for about 10 or 20 seconds more due to using binoculars, compared to the other person who was using the mk.1 eyeball. </p><p>It struck me as being a lot higher than the 24o listed on heavens above, since there's a house behind ours, I would have gauged it as rougly 50/60 degrees at its peak.</p><p>Any ideas?</p><p>And no I don't think it was a fleeting visit by aliens from beyond the moon, it just doesn't tally with any of the info on heavens-above, but it fits the profile of a large satellite.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Saiph]

<p>Did you check Heavens-above's iridium flare predictions?&nbsp; Those can be wicked bright (up to something like -8 magnitude).</p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[fractionofadot]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Did you check Heavens-above's iridium flare predictions?&nbsp; Those can be wicked bright (up to something like -8 magnitude).&nbsp; <br /> Posted by Saiph</DIV></p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>Good suggestion, but this lasted too long in my opinion. </p><p>It lasted long enough for me to figure out something was perculiar, call another person, gawk another while, run and grab binoculars, gawk with binoculars, give other person binoculars, give out that third person was in the bathroom, gawk again with binoculars.. watch it flicker out of sight, losing magnitude along the way.</p><p>As I say it moved in an arch and it lasted from the first time I saw it, to when it disappeared, at least 4 minutes - and all this was quite high in the sky, this wasn't from 10' up to 10' down, just enough to see it curve up and curve down to the SW - so the transition from orbiting earth north to south was quite long, even though i only observed it in a small portion of the sky.&nbsp; </p><p>Anyway. Odd.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[Saiph]

<p>yeah, very odd.&nbsp; I've got no clue then.&nbsp; I'd say ISS but you seem familiar enough that we can rule that out...</p><p>wierd.&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p align="center"><font color="#c0c0c0"><br /></font></p><p align="center"><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">--------</font></em></font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">----</font></em></font><font color="#666699">SaiphMOD@gmail.com </font><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">-------------------</font></em></font></p><p><font color="#999999"><em><font size="1">"This is my Timey Wimey Detector.  Goes "bing" when there's stuff.  It also fries eggs at 30 paces, wether you want it to or not actually.  I've learned to stay away from hens: It's not pretty when they blow" -- </font></em></font><font size="1" color="#999999">The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[DrRocket]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>yeah, very odd.&nbsp; I've got no clue then.&nbsp; I'd say ISS but you seem familiar enough that we can rule that out...wierd.&nbsp; <br />Posted by Saiph</DIV></p><p>Wow.&nbsp; A real UFO and a sane discussion to try to convert it to an IFO.&nbsp; Who'd a thunk ?<img src="http://sitelife.space.com/ver1.0/content/scripts/tinymce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-smile.gif" border="0" alt="Smile" title="Smile" /></p><p><br /><br />&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[fractionofadot]

<p>Ater sleeping on it, I'm thinking that perhaps it was a large balloon of some description. </p><p>My logic being that the orange colour is most easily explained by the dusk sunlight bouncing off an object in the atmosphere, and that it disappeared from sight when I could no longer see the side facing the sun, or the sun was then below the horizon relative to the object. </p><p>It definitely changed path, but I'm sure wind could account for that - if it was a balloon it could have been rising and then been affected by a different jetstream.</p><p>Anyway, the whole thing made for interesting viewing. </p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[MeteorWayne]

<p><BR/>Replying to:<BR/><DIV CLASS='Discussion_PostQuote'>Hey,Ok.. I don't know where else to ask.http://www.heavens-above.com/allsats.asp?Mag=4.5&lat=53.217&lng=-6.667&loc=Naas&alt=110&tz=GMTThat's my position, about 10:15, possibly earlier, a satellite that roughly fits the description of Lacrosse 2 came slowly across the sky. It was not a magnitude 4.5, not in a million years. Today has been extremely hazy and it's continued into the night. The moon is hard enough to make out. This was brighter than the space shuttle, and at least as bright as the ISS.When I first caught sight of the object I thought it might have been Arcturis, then maybe Mars, then I realised it was even brighter, then I realised it was moving, briefly I considered an airplane, but it was too slow, I ruled out a helicopter due to the alititude. Anyway I got to see it through binoculars which were lying handy on the table inside, no navigation lights. It was an orange colour - which most likely can be attributed to the atmosphere. It moved in an arch type shape, which I'm used to observing from seeing the ISS, Shuttle, or ATV over the years, but what struck me as extremely odd was the direction (clockwise to the observer compared to the previous ones listed) and the brightness. The ISS is roughly -2, this was at least the same, especially considering the haze existing today.So I guess my question is - is it possible Lacrosse could have, through whatever circumstances, become a -2 magnitude object.Posted by fractionofadot</DIV></p><p>Still catching up, but from my sat experience, no. The only manmade objects that get to -2 (That's VERY bright) are the ISS and Iridiums.</p><p>Now I've seen 1 second flashes from the shuttle orbiter.</p><p>But if that -2 is accurate, there ain't much up there that can possibly get that bright.</p><p>Physics is a cruel taskmaster.</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080"><em><font color="#000000">But the Krell forgot one thing John. Monsters. Monsters from the Id.</font></em> </font></p><p><font color="#000080">I really, really, really, really miss the "first unread post" function</font><font color="#000080"> </font></p> </div>

 

[neilsox]

<p>It is unlikely a balloon would reflect sunlight at -2, unless it was very large, very close, and/or has&nbsp;flat surfaces.&nbsp;Internally lighted balloons have been built for advertising purposes, and could easily appear -2&nbsp; Neil</p>

 

[fractionofadot]

<p>Thanks for all the replies</p><p>If it was an internally lit advertising balloon, I don't think it would have faded the way it did - short of the batterys running out.</p><p>There's a dull boring explanation for this. Maybe a flare dropped by a military aircraft, or a solitary chinese lantern.</p><p>There was nothing exotic looking about this, it appeared as just a bright orange light. The odd things, from a backyard astronomers point of view, were the magnitude and the direction and to a lesser degree that it faded out of sight while still very high above the horizon.</p><p>Blargh. </p><p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>