Quote:
Originally Posted by alocky
Over 30 odd years I have only ever seen one. Very late in one observing session, probably around 4:00am, a bright star about 20 degrees above the horizon which I had thought was Spica, began moving in a very strange and erratic pattern. It would move vertically a few degrees - say about a handspan, in a very sudden motion. Then horizontally a similar distance, each movement lasting less than a second indicating extraordinary speed.
I drew the attention of my observing partner to this, who said Spica was perfectly still as far as he could see.
I got out my 10x70 binoculars and put the object in the field of view. Steady as a rock. Your mind can play some nasty tricks on you when you are fatigued.
I also see many of the queries of this nature that come into Perth Observatory - and I'm not at all surprised how many of them start with: "Me and my mate were having a few drinks and..."
Cheers,
Andrew.
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I wonder if the innate, constant movement of the eye (
saccades) could have something to do with these type of reported phenomena? Its interesting that you and your buddy saw the same thing differently.