Triple Iridium Flares??

Lumen Miner (Mitchell) · #1 27-09-2009, 08:08 PM

Had a go at reprocessing 12 images over 5mins, containing something>>?

I was under the assumption that they were perhaps burnup's of small meteors, yet now I think they may have been Iridium flares. Any thoughts?

It was taken on the 18/08/09 at approx 7pm, facing, well you can make out the celestrial South.

Thanks for looking!!

[1ponders] (Paul) · #2 27-09-2009, 08:11 PM

There looks to be 4 objects there. Have you checked Heavens-above for the time periods?

Davros (Lauren) · #3 27-09-2009, 08:23 PM

The more horizontal one looks to have been rotating. period of flare then nothing then flare again.

Lumen Miner (Mitchell) · #4 27-09-2009, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by [1ponders]

There looks to be 4 objects there. Have you checked Heavens-above for the time periods?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Davros

The more horizontal one looks to have been rotating. period of flare then nothing then flare again.

4 objects?
Just tried checking heavens above... I can't find a area to search further than the last 24hrs. I haven't used it before though.

The inteval between exposures although brief, caused the gap I believe. Actually maybe not.. Maybe your right.

DavidU (Dave) · #5 27-09-2009, 09:02 PM

4!! thats kewl Mitchell.

cookie8 (Vincent) · #6 27-09-2009, 09:25 PM

Mitchell
On 18/8/09 sunset was 5:30pm. I don't think you can see iridium flares 5 and a half hours (11pm)after sunset. The sun was simply too low below horizon to reflect light off any satellite. Also they did not "flare" enough to me.

rat156 · #7 27-09-2009, 09:44 PM

Here's a screen capture from the Heavens Above page for that night for Sydney.

Unless you're mistaken about the time you took these, there should have been no satellites visible.

Check the exif header on the files for the accurate date/time (if you have set this on the camera).

Cheers
Stuart

Lumen Miner (Mitchell) · #8 28-09-2009, 12:37 AM

OK, sorry guys... Was mistaken by the time...

This is the first one.

Shooting Date/Time
8/18/2009 7:05:03 PM

Second

Shooting Date/Time
8/18/2009 7:11:29 PM

Third

Shooting Date/Time
8/18/2009 7:13:39 PM

The from the beginning of first frame till the end of the last.
I think the cameras time is ten minutes fast though.