Need Help identifying Mystery Spacecraft!
Need Help identifying Mystery Spacecraft!
On 8/23/16 I decided to image the conjunction of Saturn and Mars. On this evening they formed
a beautiful grouping in Scorpius with Antares.
While making a 13 second exposure, I saw what I at first believed was a small plane coming up from the south,
threatening to ruin my image. It moved right in between Mars and Antares (moving NNW) at about 3-4 magnitude,and suddenly
flared to about as bright as Vega and soon disappeared! The object was totally silent.
I at first was convinced it was the ISS. I checked my camera screen and was pleased that I had caught the whole thing!
My watch said it was about 8:55 DST as I recall.
Heavens Above indicated that the ISS was no where in that vicinity near 9:00.
Do any of you spacecraft detectives, i.e iridium flare experts, have any clues as to the identity of this strange UFO?
Thanks for ANY help!
Bill G.
Comets:40, Best Meteor shwr: Leonids '01, Best Aurora:Oct. '03.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.
Total.Sol.Eclipse,7/10/72 from Nova Scotia.Annular Sol. Eclipse '94,
Trans.of Venus 2004&2012.,ShoeLevy crash into Jupiter '94.
4/25/66 fireball-9 mag.,SN2011fe,N2012aw,DelphN2013.