Possible NEO?

[bojan]

Last saturday I imaged something.. it could be a satellite (in very high, inclined orbit), or it could be NEO ?

This is a stack 16x60sec, with 3 sec gaps... the trace (from just below upper left corner to ~middle of the frame) is ~1.5° long, and parts of it are visible on ~10 frames....

Any thoughts?

[JA]

Hi Bojan,

In all likelyhood probably a satellite, but to get a better idea go in to Stellarium and
1. set/look at the exact same position in the sky,
2. set the same field of view,
3. set same image orientation and then
4. scroll the time around the time that the image was taken and
5. SET "Satellite Hint" to ON (on the Bottom of the Screen Menu panel), you may then see a satellite trail which matches your image.

Good Luck

Best
JA

[bojan]

Will do it with CdC and asteroid elements, I'm not using Stellatium...
I also checked JPL website (https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi#top) forAsteroid (2020 BJ7 ), it doesn't quite fit...

[glend]

Could be one of Elon's many Starlink Sat boxes whizzing around the planet.

[bojan]

Not sure.. it was moving peretty slow. say ~1° per 10 minutes of time.

I think Elon's junk is moving much faster.

[JA]

I had some fun looking based on the clues and made some assumptions about the geographic location where the image was taken, but there is a VERY close candidate at around 9:15pm on Saturday 25 JAN 2020 - Cosmos 1867, a out of service Russian Satellite. The trajectory is very close to yours, passing by the same side of the nebula, although a little further away, but since I can't be certain about the location, it's only a definite maybe.

There were also some other candidates later in the night/morning.

Best
JA

[bojan]

:thumbsup: Spot on - thank you!

[JA]

That's great. Just out of curiosity, is the time close? I took the location as The Ballarat Observatory & Museum which I believe is in Mt Pleasant. If you are not close to that location, that could be refined and possibly place the satellite's trajectory slightly closer to the nebula as per your image. Although the direction seems perfect.

Best
JA

[bojan]

I am 500 m away from Observatory, in south-east direction (cr Dunlop and Laurie street)
Time was 22:03 - 22:28 AEDT..

On your screen dump, satellite moves from bottom up?

[bojan]

Actually, I had a closer look... direction of moving is not quite right, it should be as indicated by purple line

[JA]

Yes absolutely. the path should be 15 degrees or so anticlockwise as you've shown in purple. I also wasn't happy that the time was out by circa 1 hour, 9:15pm AEDT on Stellarium vs the time you mentioned 22:03-22:28 AEDT. Is the camera time set OK?

Of course what is the guarantee that the object path orbit in stellarium is 100%?

Best
JA

[bojan]

Camera time is OK... as well as orientation (it is 3° out, according to astrobin)

So, this must be something else.

[JA]

Yes something else: undocumented (spy) satellite, aircraft(?), or a new Bojan Object :thumbsup:

Best
JA

[bojan]

NBO for sure ;)

[Hemi]

If Poirot did astronomy, he would be proud!

Nice thread, enjoyed, thx Gents

Hemi