What have I imaged?

JohnH · #1 19-10-2006, 01:49 PM

I had a little go at NGC300 last night - messed up the run as I left the camera in JPEG small/fine after focusing...but I did get this odd frame in the middle of the run, the exposure is at 20:07-20:10 last night, it has a faint trail through it - do not think it is an aircraft - Iridium flare ? Could not see anything on Heavens above that would match? High level a/c perhaps? Satellite? But those would leave a series of flashes or a trail...image is straight of the camera and the previous and subsequent images show nothing odd as you would expect?

[1ponders] (Paul) · #2 19-10-2006, 02:31 PM

I count 4 of them John. One bright one and one faint one, both narrow, up in the top right hand corner. One very faint but broad one closer to the center of the image but still in the TRC. and one narrow one running through the bright star near the center of the frame. All the lines run parallel to each other from top left to bottom right.

No idea what they are though.

[1ponders] (Paul) · #3 19-10-2006, 02:32 PM

You weren't shooting through powerlines were you ?

Ric · #4 19-10-2006, 03:17 PM

Hi John, I had those lines before. It turned out to be an aircraft of which I captured the tail section. see my post called "A dud night", it's on page 3 in "general chat"

cheers

Lee · #5 19-10-2006, 05:11 PM

I'd say it was a plane...... can't imagine what else would cause parallel lines like that....

JohnH · #6 19-10-2006, 05:52 PM

I think I understand - it is a LOW flying a/c, the flash is a single strobe light and the faint lines other lights or reflections of lights on the underside of the aircraft. The frame must only cover approx half the aircraft - I think the white strobe is on the centre of the belly and the lines top right could be wingtip...we do get 'em come through here at 1000ft or so...

RB (Andrew) · #7 19-10-2006, 06:16 PM

John I'd say it's a plane.
I enhanced the levels until I got this.
Sorry about the noise though.

Sausageman (Mike Boggan) · #8 21-10-2006, 09:08 AM

I agree about the aircraft.
Not only do they have strobe lights, they also have a bright white light at the back of the fuselage and wingtip red and green navigation lights just like boats need at night.
From the enhanced photo it clearly looks like a red coloured streak.

Mike.