I spotted 30 satellites last night in an hour and a half is that possible ?

We had clear skies above Kent UK last night so I went outside at 10.30pm to do a bit of star gazing immediately I saw an object ( satellite) moving across the sky west to north the object suddenly got very bright then faded. I decided to stick around and see if I could spot any more. I didn't have to wait long this time in the sky to the east came two moving in opposite directions then another moving north to south.I was watching theses with the naked eye but would also use my binoculars. ( the best way to spot them in a large sky). For the next 90 mins I counted thirty satellites ( four in the same part of sky at once) plus four shooting stars one that left a vapour or smoke trail. My question is how is it possible to see so many in such a short space of time and were they all satellites. Most objects were in the south eastern sky.

Well, this is hardly a UFO question really is it... but to answer it, yes, it's perfectly possible, and it's possible because there are several hundred in orbit. No, seeing thirty in 30 mins would be strange, in 3 minutes it would be supernatural - but no, you've stated um, something that yes, exists and occurs every day.

Next time I suggest you check out orbital paths using Google. There's a lot of that going on here in the last 2 hours, people asking bizarre questions as if they've lost the ability to use a search engine.

30 in 90minutes seems pretty reasonable considering there are over 3000 total up there.


Consider yourself very lucky to have such a spectacular view!

Forgot to add that I also saw two flashing objects high in the south I am guessing they were satellites that were spinning catching the light.

It is certainly possible.

I have a Galaxy tab with 'satellite AR' app installed.
This shows all visible satellite overlaid on the screen.
Using the inbuilt GPS, I can use the tablet to scan the sky and show satellites.

30 odd satellites is possible and not that difficult with the naked eye on a clear evening just after the sun has set.
So 10.30pm last night was a good time to spot them as the sun had set but up at 200 miles above the earth the sun is still shining, hence the satellites are easy to view.

Iridium satellites are very easy to spot due to their triangular shape they intermittently reflect light back as they travel.

anyone can correct me here but from the direction of travel, satellites travelling north south could well by spy satellites or weather satellites and west to east travelling satellites mapping and communication satellites.

Hope it helps.

reply to post by Nick_X


Fair enough, Ive never seen so many before usually I would be lucky to spot four or five in that time.3000 satellites is a hell of a lot so makes perfect sense.

Very possible, there are 1000's and 1000's of satelites/space junk up there

oh just to add spent rocket stages are sometimes visible as well.

The satellite AR app shows them with a number and RB next to the name.

Not a bad bit of software for free on android devices.

reply to post by markymint


I was aware that there are hundreds of satellites up there what amazed me is that I saw so many in a relatively short space of time all crossing above my part of the sky.Just thinking how large the earth is and these satellites were all crossing directly over Kent but then again at that hight I guess that a very large area could view them. Mods please feel free to move thread.

Originally posted by tarifa37
We had clear skies above Kent UK last night so I went outside at 10.30pm to do a bit of star gazing immediately I saw an object ( satellite) moving across the sky west to north the object suddenly got very bright then faded. I decided to stick around and see if I could spot any more. I didn't have to wait long this time in the sky to the east came two moving in opposite directions then another moving north to south.

I have always thought how incredibly ironic it would be after all our discussions and arguments here about life elsewhere to find that above our heads there is an intergalactic war that has been taking place for many years and that we and earth are the prize. How stupid we will feel when the truth is told.

I dunno you tell me?



Click here for full size image

And that is not counting the space junk or UFO's

I think its pretty cool you seen that many, I get excited when i spot just one.

Originally posted by franspeakfree
. How stupid we will feel when the truth is told.

So... you just answered why there will be no disclosure

reply to post by zorgon


Nice one Zorgon certainly puts the point across although the satellites in that picture are way off the scale size wise in reality if that was to true scale the sats wouldn't even be visible in that picture of the earth.

Yes

I even see 2 following closley the same path nightly and I mean closely.

Get a satellite program and watch how crowded it is up there,

Originally posted by tarifa37
Nice one Zorgon certainly puts the point across although the satellites in that picture are way off the scale size wise in reality if that was to true scale the sats wouldn't even be visible in that picture of the earth.

Well yeah but it makes the point

A few years back China destroyed one of their satellites... The red is the pieces of debris created by that one incident... of pieces tracked by NORAD Green is other stuff... green line is ISS orbit

Originally posted by zookey
Get a satellite program and watch how crowded it is up there,

Here is the tracking data for the new secret x-37 space plane, second flight launched Mar 2011

LIVE REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING AND PREDICTIONS: OTV 2

www.n2yo.com...

Just passing over Korea now

Wonder what it is up too?

You can track the two Genesis space station modules owned by Bigelow Aerospace here

These two images automatically refresh every 60 seconds

Genesis 1
www.ehabich.info...

Genesis 2
www.ehabich.info...

Originally posted by zorgon

Originally posted by zookey
Get a satellite program and watch how crowded it is up there,

Here is the tracking data for the new secret x-37 space plane, second flight launched Mar 2011

LIVE REAL TIME SATELLITE TRACKING AND PREDICTIONS: OTV 2

www.n2yo.com...

Just passing over Korea now

Wonder what it is up too?

edit on 25-7-2011 by zorgon because: (no reason given)

Cool site very interesting Cheers Zorgon.

reply to post by tarifa37


WOW, im glad you made this thread taifa37, i kept popping out for a cig, every few hours and noticed the same thing. I even called my full blown (UFO) skeptic wife and at first she said that they were planes, but i stated they were too high up. No flashing lights etc.

I was covering satellites in one my first and partial second level courses for Uni the other year along with R.F.I.D chips scanners GPS, etc. and so i am aware about certain satellites and their patterns etc, sun light illuminating them and blah, blah, blah.

But anyway, some of these Objects last night were moving at an incredible speed, and some were slow, some crossed paths and all in all, i thought it was quite spectacular, whatever they were.

I live in Surrey, near a large woods, with very no visible light pollution surrounding my home, minus the front room house lights and solar lights to the front of my house. I was in the back of the house, in the back garden.

Star and Flag for you sir.

Also i have seen a lot of black choppers flying in the sky over the past few weeks here.