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Old 20-03-2011, 05:23 PM
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RobF (Rob)
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How do I identify this moving object?

I'm sure I've read about websites that help you identify asteroids or satelites in images here before, but after a bit of digging about I'm still clueless. I was putting together an LRGB image taken at astrofest last year still languishing on hard drive and found this 200 sec lum frame has an object that appears to have brightened and dimmed about once every 3 secs on it.

This was taken about 0045 8/8/10 at Duckadang. The secs estimate comes from the gap until the next frame (there's usually about 30secs between my frames allowing for downloading, guidestar settle, etc). Nearly forgot - image is Messier 15.

Just a bit of Sunday frivolity, but any assistance appreciated.
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Old 22-03-2011, 12:36 AM
Dennis
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Hi Rob

Here is a screen capture from The Sky X Professional showing which (known) minor planets were in that region at the date/time.

It looks like there were 2 in the field, at Mag 18.5 and 19.6 respectively and it looks like they would have been almost stationary for the duration of your exposure (200 secs).

So, I’m guessing that either a satellite or maybe an aeroplane may have left the trail judging by its length? Generally, only a (fast moving) minor planet classified as a Near Earth Object would leave such a trail for such a relatively short exposure.

Cheers

Dennis
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Old 22-03-2011, 08:30 AM
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mswhin63 (Malcolm)
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It looks like a failed satellite, one that spinning out of control. I'm not sure of those still on the public database will not.
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Old 22-03-2011, 05:20 PM
gary
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Hi Rob,

If it were a satellite, given the time of night, it would have to be in a very high orbit.

Geo-synchronous satellites are parked in high orbits and can be visible at that time
of night. Some spin and alternately brighten and dim. However, the belt in which
geo-stationary satellites are parked would be a few degrees south of this image
at your latitude at Duckadang and in any case, they would show an apparent
East-West movement which clearly the object in your image does not obey.

Alternatively, it could be an object such as a spent booster in a high orbit.
I haven't done a search to help ascertain it.

The aeroplane hypothesis, though the least exciting, is the most likely.
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Old 22-03-2011, 08:16 PM
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RobF (Rob)
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Hi guys. Appreciate your thoughts, I really wan't too sure where to start once my interest was piqued. I probably should have posted this other frame at the outside. This is the preceding 200sec Lum image which has caught the end of the object moving up from bottom right. These were both unbinned images, so the absolute fastest time the camera could have start with first image I posted would have been about 20 secs. The FOV is about 60 arcmins wide (FL 1000mm) so I was surprised a plane would be travelling that slowly even at very high altitude.

Anyway, I've learned something - didn't realise geosync satellites could potentially be seen so late.
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