Posted on 03/23/2013 8:36:32 PM PDT by CapnJack
Did anybody else here happen to be looking into the north sky and see a star get really bright and then just wink out???
I was standing on my back deck having a cigar and looking up at the north by northeast sky and was looking at a patch of sky (the night sky is very clear tonight here in NH) and saw a star twinkle for a second or two, then it got really bright, brighter than any other star out tonight. Then it just winked out and was gone.
If you looked up and find the Big Dipper and and draw a line between the last star on the handle and the North Star, then go to the 1/2 point on the line and then go down about 1/3 the distance of the line on a 90 degree angle ... that is where the star was.
Just wondering if anyone else just happend to be looking up at the sky tonight.
A lot weird happenings in the sky lately.
“Did you just finish reciting the nine billion names of God?”
Hey, I just read Asimov’s story by that name on Friday.
I remember reading that as well. Long ago I’d read that if something like that happened that “close” to us the radiation would fry everything in that “local” vicinity. It was an old science book or maybe a press release from the Obama campaign. I’m happy to be wrong about it anyway.
Aircraft landing lights at quite a distance, appear to wink out when the aircraft turns. It is possible you were too far away to see the aircraft running lights, but when the headlights were shining your way you could see them.
Why, that sneaky Arthur C. Clarke, to put his name on a story by Asimov!
Please, I'm just a producer, not a star.
It was a cheap Two Guys (NH brand) shorty. Didn’t have too much time to smoke one, I was finishing up my Glenlivet and it was late.
Bump for later. I actually saw the same thing about 10-15 years ago and have often wondered what it was. I watched that spot for the next 5-6 nights and never saw it come back.
43.1942° N, 71.1514° W
43.1942° N, 71.1514° W
It occured about 11:15pm EST.
No Iridium flares were indicated at that site anywhere near 11:15 PM that time. Satellites in low earth orbit are generally best viewed around twilight, 11:15 PM is rather late. I wonder if you saw a geosynchronous or GPS satellite.
If you would like to see an iridium flare, just to compare it to your experience, there is very bright Iridium flare predicted for Tuesday
Time Mar 26, 20:23:09 (8:23:09 PM)
Brightness -8.3
Altitude 57°
Azimuth 120° (ESE)
Satellite Iridium 42
Distance to flare centre 2 km (E)
Brightness at flare centre -8.4
The timing may be off by a few seconds. They are generally very easy to spot. You should see dozens of satellites in a ten minute span around that time. This one should come from the North North East, passing through the bowl of the little dipper around 8:20:30 and the bowl of the Big Dipper around 8:22:40 a little more than a minute before flaring in Leo at 20:23:09
Clear skies and good views!
I didn’t see but my uncle Earl sees things if he’s away from the bottle to long.
Thanks timlilje (good call) and CapnJack.
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Oops. I read so many things that I don’t pay close attention to author names or titles. I thought the stories in the book I’m reading, Bangs and Whimpers, was ordered by author last name. I can read. I just can’t remember.
lol — I love that image
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