I think I saw a satellite during the day

scottlovell · #1 29-09-2009, 02:08 AM

I just bought a telescope and was setting it up during the day. I had it pointed randomly up in the sky.When I looked through the scope, I saw an object in focus. It was only in veiw for a split second, but I could see a lot of detail on it. With the naked eye, I could see nothing. I am assuming it must have been a satellite, if so, the odds of that happening must be tremendous. Is there any way I can do this again?

sheeny (Al) · #2 29-09-2009, 07:03 AM

It's possible to do it again, but you're telescope pointing accuracy would need to be extremely accurate.

Have a look at Orbitron. It's satellite tracking software: http://www.stoff.pl/

It'll at least tell you what's up when and what you can see.

Al.

scottlovell · #3 29-09-2009, 08:19 AM

Thank you for your reply. Are there stationary satellites that can be veiwed? Trying to see a moving one again would indeed be very difficult, and given the time it was in veiw, a split second, it would not be worth the effort, but a stationary one would be well worth it.
Thanks

Matt Wastell (Matt) · #4 29-09-2009, 06:39 PM

I have no idea about stationary satellites - there is a name for these - but you may start a new bread of satellite imagers!

DistroMan (Trevor) · #5 29-09-2009, 06:58 PM

Geostationary

sheeny (Al) · #6 29-09-2009, 07:03 PM

I'm not sure how well you would see a geostationary satellite... probably not well I expect. The ISS orbits at around 300 to 400 kms above the earth and it is certainly possible to see and image detail on the ISS, but geostationary satellites are much further away, and nowhere near as big as the ISS.

You can image geostationary satellites with just a camera and tripod. If you take a long exposure shot with the camera aimed at the celestial equator, you will of course get star trails as the earth rotates, but the geostationary satellites will be captured as points or short lines that run north south as they oscillate about the celestial equator.

Al.

astroron (Ron) · #7 29-09-2009, 07:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scottlovell

I just bought a telescope and was setting it up during the day. I had it pointed randomly up in the sky.When I looked through the scope, I saw an object in focus. It was only in veiw for a split second, but I could see a lot of detail on it. With the naked eye, I could see nothing. I am assuming it must have been a satellite, if so, the odds of that happening must be tremendous. Is there any way I can do this again?

You do not say what type and size of telescope,and what magnification you where using?
Please enlighten us on these salient points so we can get some idea as to what you did see

Also what time of day?

mac (Matt) · #8 29-09-2009, 07:26 PM

Heh heh, I saw a satellite through my telescope last night while I was searching for star clusters. It made me jump when it appeared in the eyepiece. Although it didn't make me jump as much as something else which I saw - something much larger that flashed through the eyepiece in a split second. It wasn't an aeroplane, so I think it must have been a bird (it wasn't illuminated).

DavidU (Dave) · #9 29-09-2009, 07:36 PM

I have read that now that the IIS is near completion (ir: bigger in area) it can be seen during the day when it's low in the sky.
Sourse : Heavens Above

astroron (Ron) · #10 29-09-2009, 07:58 PM

What kind of detail did you see?

scottlovell · #11 30-09-2009, 02:37 AM

I am new to telescopes so I do not know much about magnification and so forth, but the telescope I was using is a MEADE, it has an electric motor to turn. It is not the type that uses a mirror. The first lens is 90mm in diameter. The tube is about 70-90cm in length. I do not remember which eye piece I was using, but it was probably one of the larger ones, 17-25mm. It cost about 300 dollars(American) and I got it at COSCO. I can't find the paper work on it right now, sorry.
As I said, the object passed through very quickly and could not be seen with the naked eye. What I remember seeing was what looked like metal siding that looked like corrugated steel and mechanical type things affixed to it, almost looked like I saw bolts or rivits, again it was a split second and it was moving fast. I do not think I even saw the whole thing because I do not remember seeing any kind of dish. It was about a year ago that I saw it.

mozzie (Peter) · #12 30-09-2009, 04:24 AM

bolts and rivots seems like a small plane ive seen plenty of satelites pass through the eyepiece but none with that much detail
mozzie

astroron (Ron) · #13 30-09-2009, 11:10 AM

I don't wish to get you off side

but I don't think you would see that kind of detail in a 90 mm telescope

I have seen the ISS in my 16" scope (40cm) and it is only tiny

I don't know what you saw, but a satellite at a hight of around an average of 400kms would not be seen with that kind of detail

Cheers

scottlovell · #14 01-10-2009, 12:52 AM

I would not say I actually saw bolts and rivits, more like round bolt looking things on the side. I saw some types of things on the side of it that looked like boxy square mechanical objects on it, it did not look smooth like an air plane would. The portion that I saw filled up at least half of the field of veiw. I looked up and could see nothing with the naked eye. I think I might have seen antena looking things jutting out of it too. It was so fast that perhaps my mind just filled in those things. Maybe it was a plane. Oh well, probably never figure out what it was, it was very cool though.

Thanks for the responses!