What is this object?

[Jungles]

Hi, I've been watching this object, but am not able to determine its identity. Can you? http://screencast.com/t/7OtqzzIcB

Live video feed http://www.ovsicori.una.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43
so you'll be able to see the object for yourself; the object comes into view around 1500 live feed time.

Camera faces west (red line is horizon as seen by the camera), object is not following the ecliptic (green line), and has been moving north of ecliptic in Jan 2013. http://screencast.com/t/2d97ToDDnmZn

I dont believe it is a camera glitch. If it were, I would expect to see the object when cloudy, not only when not cloudy.

Also, the moon appears in the field of view in the morning only.

Please let me know what you think this is!

[Astroman]

Could be internal lens reflection of the Sun? Does it move through the day?

[Jungles]

Andrew, i've seen reflections move across the image
whilst the object seems to be quite stationary during the day.

[mental4astro]

It's the Moon.

Facing west, and a live video feed in the afternoon at this time of the month, it's the moon in its current phase.

You are mistaken about the Moon only appearing in the morning in this spot. With th current date, this is the correct location of the Moon as it approaches its first quarter phase.

[Jungles]

the object is full each day, so how can it be the moon?

anyway, if history repeats, it should come into view at 2100ish GMT, if any care to view it

http://www.ovsicori.una.ac.cr/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43

[Jungles]

very clear view today

[mental4astro]

Jungles,

:welcome: to IIS too!

I've had a look this morning at the images from the live feed. No, it's not the Moon. You are right. My mistake.

There are now a couple of reflection flares and TWO of these spots. I now suspect that the spots are focused reflections from the glare of the sun. I've seen this happen on my photos with unshielded lenses. Focused internal reflections aren't all that common these days with today's multi-coatings, but they do happen. The reflection comes off one (or more) of the internal elements, and itself is reflected back and into focus from the other element members.

Another source of the reflection could be the unblackened metal housing.

I'm not surprised that it's visible in these webcam images as these cameras normally are made very cheaply and with minimal, if any, coatings on the lenses.

It may or may not have the focused reflection move relative to the movement of the sun. But that it is focused may only see the spot appear fixed to the one spot.

HOWEVER, a third reflection source just occured to me that it could be the housing that the camera is placed in, particularly if it is a dome. The inside of the dome could be reflecting the light within the housing back into the lens. Then, regardless of the camera quality, it may well be inevitable to get this artefact appear. I've also remembered seeing these spots on images on CCD external security cameras that face the direction of the Sun.

If its not a reflection, then I am affraid that it IS a UFO, and the buggers are looking to trigger off a major eruption, :mad2: . Better nuke them, just in case. :P

[Jungles]

thanks for the welcome and input

yes, some type of camera effect is the obvious explanation

but, why does the object only appear around 1500 live feed time each day?

and why has the object been tracking south to north through Jan and Feb?

is this consistent with some type of camera effect???

[mental4astro]

Yep. That it is tracking south to north points directly to an internal reflection (within the camera or the dome housing) says reflection as its movements are the opposite to those of the movement of the sun across the sky, just as all internal reflection (flares and spots) move.

Easy way to do this is point your camera in the direction of the sun. As it is so bright flares, and even spots, will appear. As you move the camera the reflections move with or opposite to the relative movement of the sun, just depending on the way the reflections have been created.

Don't forget that the sun is very prominent in the pictures. Reflections would be inevitable.

[mental4astro]

The "smudge" you refer to could actually be the shape of the camera's diaphram too. Internal reflections often appear in the shape of the diaphram.

[Jungles]

thanks, food for thought

if it were a reflection, would we expect the object to "replay" each day?

ie, move south to north, from point A to B each day, and then repeat tomorrow?

as you can see in the attachment, that isnt happening; the object is very slowly tracking north, not "replaying" each day

you'll also be able to see a shadow side to the right side of the object in the Jan pic, as the sun is at left, which is interesting

[mental4astro]

The pics you've posted are 12 days apart, and one hour different. Putting the hour aside, the 12days is sufficient to show the change in altitude of the sun as it tracks against the sky, hence the shift in position of the spot.

In the left margin of this page is an icon link to the moon phase. Click on this page & you'll see a table that includes the rise and set of the sun. Just this week alone the is an 8 minute difference in setting times. Extend this over two weeks and the difference is greater, and you'll actually notice it when you go outside at the exact same time over the course of a week or two, particularly in the morning.

This change in time also has a matching shift in altitude of the sun, or the point along the horizon where it rises from.

This also seen in the apparent shift in the spot's position.

Now, add the hour to the scene (48 min to be precise) and you'll have a corresponding shift in the spot's position too. In the first pic below the sun is just beginning to impinge on the frame. In the second the sun is lower down & in the frame. Of cause the spot will shift as it moves with the relative position of the sun that I mentioned below. Move the camera ( here the sun) and the internal reflections will shift.

Nothing strange going on.

[Jungles]

thanks for the clarity, appreciate it :thumbsup: