Can anyone explain?

[Mikezoom]

11:25pm tonight and saw something that I have not heard spoken about before, it was two faint lights, about 2mag starting from the NE moving across the sky in a Ne/Sw direction. The two lights moved as if connected and were about a half degree apart. Started from Pisces amd moved towards Sirius and took about 6 seconds. Any ideas??? I was thinking ISS but I cannot get onto Heavens Above at the moment.

Mike.

[ballaratdragons]

2 lights? ISS only gives 1 light just like other sattelites. Only thing I can think of Mike is 2 sattelites travelling near each other. I have seen sattelites pass very close to each other going in opposite directions but never 2 travelling in the same direction together.

Another possiblity is a Russian or other spacecraft meeting with ISS?

Very interesting!

[RAJAH235]

Mike. Hi, :hi: It looks for the mo, that heavens-above is not avail. (just got in after ~10 mins ). (now waiting for 'log in' page to load. another 10 mins.)! Must be busy tonight!
Try this satellite tracker prog from here >
http://www.satscape.co.uk/
About 30 mins on D/Up.
:D L.
:xmas:

[Mikezoom]

This didn't travel towards each other, both points of light were in sync . At first I thought it might be a few frags of a meteor but it travelled all the way to the Western Horizon without changing mag. Looked great, my Bro in law & my Father in law also saw it so I am not going insane. ;) A few xmas drinks :drink: but nothing that can explain this, maybe I missed something???

Mike. :zzz2:

[RAJAH235]

2nd quote>

Which way was it actually travelling? Bit confused here?????? :P
:D L.

[ballaratdragons]

LOL! Must be a *hic* good Chrishmas Party *hic*! :drink:

Travelling South East but went down in the West?

[Mikezoom]

Meh, my bad, newb so got the dir mixed, Was NE/WSW. Anyone see it?

Mike.

[ballaratdragons]

Mistake forgiven LOL! Well, it ain't ISS then! (I think) As far as I know ISS travels Easterly, which means it would hit the horizon anywhere from NNE to SSE. :confuse3: (please correct me if I am wrong :lol: )

[RAJAH235]

No. Was in here motn or TV.
Sounds about right, Ken. :D L.

[[1ponders]]

Hi Mikezoom. More than likely they were satellites. I've often seen up to 3 moving together then followed shortly by a further two through Orion at certain times of the year

[p medcraft]

Yes, they are satellites. I have seen the group of three on a number of occasions and also the 2 you describe. They are called Naval Ocean Surveillance System or NOSS for short. The US currently operates three sets of spy satellites, launched consecutively in 1990, 1991 and 1996. These satellites orbit pole-to-pole in groups of three at an altitude of 1,100 kilometers, monitoring the position, speed and direction of all military ships at sea by detecting radio and radar signals and then triangulating the point of origin..

<DT>The components of the trio orbit separately under Newton's Laws, and are not technically "in formation." However, their orbits are planned to crisscross during every circuit, being widest apart over ocean areas of greatest interest. </DT>Paul Medcraft

[Mikezoom]

Cool, thanks for the reply guys. Its the first time I had seen two travelling together and they were not as bright/defined as the other Satellites I was observing, they were not as sharp and less like pinpricks with a dull fuzzy appearance and at least twice the size. Interesting that you mention that some travel such a low orbit as at the time I was thinking the exact same thing with the pair moving quite quickly visually compared to the other Satellites. Once again thanks for the help.

Mike.