UFO in the sky

ddy

18th July 2006 - 11:46 PM

Hi

I saw this thing tonight and i promtly googled for forums which give awnsers to the scientificly un/explained hence here... Great site btw.

I was gazing into the sky while lying down in the summer heat outside, not one cloud for a 120 mile radius. I live in a urban area but my house has an elevated platform where i got a near 360° view of the sky but the horizon is still coverd by houses

.

So i was looking at the sky for 15 mins and suddenly, while looking at a bunch of stars i noticed somthing moving. It was about as big and bright as the 15% of dimmest stars i could see it was blue like every star i could see... The thing was moving from SE to NW and im guessing it took 8 secs from one side of the sky to another.

So now, this is where im a little confused. Im almost certain it wasnt an aircraft because last time i checked they flash. Im confident it wasnt a shooting star because there wasnt a streak and shooting stars last half a sec. Im not a conspiricist (sp?) so im pretty sure it wasnt an alien space craft.

What do you think it is?

Thanks

"THEY"

18th July 2006 - 11:54 PM

Probably a satelite! Look for it again at the same time the next night and see if it is there in the same area/direction. I like watching satelites.

ddy

19th July 2006 - 12:05 AM

A satalite was one of my first thoughts.

Have you any tips on identifing a geostationary satalite to a star or a planet etc with the equipment i have?

Do these geostationary satalites have anything in common with the low polar orbit satalites?

I would imagine the geostationary satelites would be harder to see because they are further away?

Upisoft

19th July 2006 - 12:25 AM

It was not a geostationary satellite, because it crossed the sky.

QUOTE

... it was blue like every star i could see...

Last time I checked the stars were mostly white/yellow. Only some of them were bluish... What could absorb the red part of the spectrum?

ddy

19th July 2006 - 12:47 AM

Oh crap, leme re-word that...

QUOTE

do geostationary satalites have anything in common with the low polar orbit satalites?

Upisoft

19th July 2006 - 01:40 AM

QUOTE (ddy+Jul 19 2006, 03:47 AM)

do geostationary satalites have anything in common with the low polar orbit satalites?

Excluding obvious things, like they're satellites, I don't think they have much in common.

Low altitude polar orbit satellites circle around the Earth for 100 minutes per full orbit. So, 8 seconds for half orbit is pretty fast for this type of satellites.

Good Elf

19th July 2006 - 02:53 AM

Hi all,

Just a few points about observing satellites. Firstly geostationary satellites do not move, they are "fixed" above a point on the earths surface in geostationary orbit. Next point a low orbit satellite might cross the sky in a short period of time since at the low altitude they represent only a small segment of a complete revolution around the earth. For comparison think about a "very very low orbit airplane" crosses the sky but is only seen locally. A higher low orbiting satellite will have a wider range in which it is viewed and cross the sky in a similar period. Next point is unless it is a relatively high orbit satellite you will not be seeing it every night for the same reason. It is unlikely to cross your part of the country for a long time. The last and most interesting point is (once again depending n the height of the satellite) you will not see them later in the night because they will be in the earths shadow (just like you) so you only see them at most a couple of hours after sunset or before dawn. If you see an object late in the night you can be assured it is not a satellite and must be a plane, meteorite or a genuine "UFO". I think if you have accurately measured stuff you can determine if it was a satellite from one of those freeware programs or you may look it up on the Internet. This one is possible...
http://www.heavens-above.com/

Eight seconds does seem a little short in time. This is where you need to be sure. A meteor may enter the atmosphere and graze off the atmosphere back into space, nearly a tangential path relative to the earth's surface, through the upper atmosphere. The short period of observation of this object is "suggestive". Some people do not measure time well when excited, it may have been a tad longer. The fact that it was very bright could mean that it was in a very low orbit indeed or that it was a meteor.

Cheers

Toxic

19th July 2006 - 05:02 AM

Hello, I wasn't sure if I should create a new thread or just post in this one, but I decided to post here...

Anyway, my mom has had an experience like this too. She was sitting in the living room, and suddenly saw a light outside. It stayed there for a few minutes, and then flew away at a high speed. My grandma also saw it.
I don't really know much about science and stuff, but I'm guessing it's just some kind of light reflection or something like that.

http://ignatz.brinkster.net/writing/lefthand/lefthand007.jpg

She said it looks something like what's in this image. I think that definately looks like some kind of light reflection. If it matters, it was happening while it was dark outside.

Toxic

19th July 2006 - 05:06 AM

Sorry for the double post, but I can't edit posts as a guest...

I checked the site where that image was from, and they were indeed intentionally added light reflections.

"THEY"

19th July 2006 - 08:11 PM

QUOTE (Good Elf+Jul 18 2006, 07:53 PM)

This one is possible...
http://www.heavens-above.com/

Good grief Good Elf, I completely forgot about that website! It has great information on spotting satelites and ISS. Glad you posted it.

My brother can see a geostationary satelite from his back window. Stars rotate out of view with the seasons and this one "bright star" remains in the exact same spot year round.

Good luck ddy and make sure to let us know what you figure out if you see it again!

ddy

19th July 2006 - 08:35 PM

Oh crap again, 8 seconds...duh.... 18 i was supposed to type. Im not sure about the sun thing though. I was looking at the sky about 23:00 and the sky goes black at about 21:30ish. Does this leave enough time for the sun to still be in range of the satilite?

Im pretty sure every star in the sky is blueish. I live in a very urban area and when im in the rural areas i notice here that there is always a purpleish orange tinge due to the street lamps all over the sky here in the city, could this be causing the stars to go blue?

I think there is a geostationary satalite in view. its the second most brightest object with the bare eye and it twinkles the most. Im not sure if its been there the whole year'round though.

"THEY"

19th July 2006 - 08:47 PM

What is your latitude? (if you don't know, where are you living?)

From my experiences, there are two satelites that cross over my skies shortly after 23:00, and I am lat 47. (Washington State in USA)

On the geostationary, plot it against the background stars then check it again in a few months.

ddy

19th July 2006 - 11:22 PM

51°27'28 i think

I reside in london

"THEY"

20th July 2006 - 12:36 AM

2300 in London is perfect time for satelite viewing. Go see the Heavens Above site that Good Elf said. It has been in my favorites for 2 years but I have not used it, so unfortunately I can't help you much there. Maybe Good Elf will come back. He is a goldmine of information

ddy

20th July 2006 - 03:10 AM

I was going to find some last night but unfortunately the sky was obscured by clouds.

http://www.heavens-above.com/ looks cool.

Will be looing for some iridium flares because they seem like the easiest thing to find.

DouglasFir

20th July 2006 - 07:07 AM

I actually envy you guys! Were I live you're lucky if you can see anything in the night sky let alone satellites or alien spacecraft!

Whenever I travel I love to see the stars in other places of the world - as it's such a shame I can barely see them at home!

bang4thebuck

25th July 2006 - 10:30 PM

People, prepare to enter the mystic spookified Alien world.

I have NEVER read on this since the 70's and now for the first time, have read this long established and old material.

Take a look and see for yourself.

Theyre from the legendary KeeleyNet BBS and the 'UFO Chronicles' distribution list, some documents of the UFO community, posted long ago on a pre-Internet bulletin boards, FIDOnet and Usenet by hard-core UFO believers, courtesy of C. Demetrius Morgan:

Part1:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/ufo/cooper1.htm
No gravity!!! No Physics!!! Unified theory!!! Disc spinning, tilting in air and sea???
Part2:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/ufo/cooper2.htm

Have a nice read.

Thanks.

Knot of this world

26th July 2006 - 12:44 AM

Oh ok, I admit it. It's me. I'm the 'alien', as you so quaintly put it. Now stop whingeing and start evolving. How come you things are so far behind, anyway?

The alien federation is waiting for you jolly old chaps to catch up, so we can communicate some true wonders to you, and all you can do is argue amongst yourselves!

With knowledge comes responsibility. (apparently!)

First, you'll have to learn how to smile!

"Forgive them, Space, for they know not what they measure!" - Eyesac Neutron. (2777)

bang4thebuck

26th July 2006 - 01:24 PM

kotw,

I've no idea just who your referring to, when I actually posted the link to read for those that believe this, and extra info for those that don't- myabe in jest

What, now do you believe I believe this? Did you actually read it?

Whose whinging and not evolving, please explain?

I seriously no not what in hell your chatting about, maybe slanderous disparaging

For one, if it was about me, then you'll find your a ton off.

Heck, just two links out around the net.

Anyway, yea, have a nice one.

Thanks.

Knot of this world

29th July 2006 - 11:16 PM

sorry. Definately not you, bang. was just being silly... I have 'odd' days, you know?

...stops me going mad/normal

bang4thebuck

31st July 2006 - 05:57 PM

Knot of this world,

No problem

odd days?

Sooo how do I distinguish between anything from your "odd" days to your "normal"?

Or is that at my own discretion

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