Watching stars

[robrob]

I have seen so much strange stuff from going on on a clear night and watching the stars until sunrise. I and my friend just watch areas of space, and wait for ‘stars’ to start moving. We see so many things, some dimmer than the stars, moving across the sky. We were told some were satellites and I assume some are comets, but others clearly are not.<br /><br />For example, we caught sight of one star-like object moving across the sky, then it suddenly switched 90 degrees and started off into a different direction. We spotted another moving slowly which, after a few seconds, suddenly shot across the sky like a shooting star. Another we followed for quite a while across the sky, then it suddenly was surrounded by a white hue, only for that to die down and for it to continue as it was. The hue was like that of a rocket as it enters the earths atmosphere. Another we saw hovering, moving up, then down, then up, then across left, then right etc etc. Not a chopper.<br /><br />Then there was the star that disappeared. It was the brightest star in the sky and we assumed it to be the Pole star. We went inside around 4am (after being out there 4 hours) to get coats and when we came back it had vanished. Just vanished. All other stars remained. It hasn’t been back since.<br /><br />There really is some weird stuff going on up there. Those guys living in the space station must see some crazyness on a daily basis.<br />

 

[najab]

Check out: Heaven's Above, they have a list of most (if not all) the naked-eye visible satellites. Select your location from the database and you can get a list of the passes for your area along with maps showing the exact path they'll take.

 

[nexium]

Low Earth orbit satellites are visable for a few minutes up to two hours following sun set and two hours before sunrise. The geo satellites, asteroids and comets are visable all night, but typically are not bright enough to be seen without a telescope.<br />The pole star = North Star is about as bright as the brighter stars in the big dipper, so it is not the brightest star.<br /> Unless you were abusing substances, it is hard to explain the direction, and speed changes as anything other than UFOs or airplanes. Neil

 

[robrob]

That’s a bit callous…we were eating mushrooms, but anyone who knows will know that they don’t make you SEE things that aren’t there…rather, they make you, as a being, more acute, I firmly believe. That is why it is the only thing I abuse. That stuff we saw was, without a shadow of a doubt, up in the sky and moving at top speed. Besides, I have been out on my own, totally sober and armed only with a telescope, many nights after, and have seen the same things, though have never seen quite as much activity in one night as that first night we went out. It’s just a pity we don’t get many clear nights in smog-ridden London.