[AZ-Observing] Re: question from a friend about an observation between Orion and Monoceros
- From: Jeff <phxjeff@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: az-observing@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 3 Nov 2010 15:26:24 -0700
Last year I was on a Houseboat trip on Lake Powell the middle of
October. At 8 PM it was very dark and clear and I went atop the
houseboat with my binoculars. I was surprised to see a very bright
light flashing similarly nearly overhead.
This was not a plane or satellite. It moved very slowly and flashed
about once a minute for over 15 minutes. The flash was long (probably
nearly a second building up and then down).
What I believe this was was a rocket body tumbling and reflecting
sunlight. If not, it was a new type of flashing star.
Jeff
Hopkins Phoenix Observatory
Counting Photons
Phoenix, Arizona USA
www.hposoft.com/Astro/astro.html
International Epsilon Aurigae Campaign
http://www.hposoft.com/Campaign09.html
On Nov 3, 2010, at 3:10 PM, Wes Edens wrote:
> A co-worker was out the other night in her yard in Cave Creek, and
> saw a
> bright flash of light in the region of what she first described as
> Orion,
> although when we looked at a star chart, she said it was more like
> Monoceros. She described it a flash at least as bright as nearby
> stars. It
> would flash, then repeat about 10 seconds later. She watched it for
> some
> time, and although it was moving, it was moving very slowly. She
> went in
> and got her husband up to see it. She told me it moved about 1 1/2
> degrees
> in half an hour (described as a finger width and a half at arms
> length).
> I checked Heavens Above for her, using her lat and long (33.78656,
> -111.9453003) and the correct Arizona time setting (it was 01:00 MT,
> 08:00
> UT Tuesday, Nov 2) and nothing showed up during that time (checked
> for sats,
> ISS, HST, everything they offer).
> Any ideas? She's pretty certain it wasn't a plane, but a plane
> flying a
> weird pattern at a distance with its headlight is about all I can
> think of.
> She says that it moved in a linear fashion.
> Googling around, there are a lot of reports of this type of thing in
> Orion,
> but maybe that's just because Orion is a very recognizable
> constellation.
> http://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=flashing+light+orion
> She asked me to put this out to the local astronomy community.
> Thanks!
> Wes
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