Pulsating satelite?

I like to spot satelites at night. When I sit down and look above its easy to see 2 or 3 whitin 10 minutes without any devices.
Tonight a saw a pulsating one: for a few 3 minutes, it behaved like a normal sighting only it was pulsating on and of every aprox. 1,5 seconds.
No colours, just a light.

It did not look like a plane. Anybody saw something like this? Why is it pulsating?

reply to post by ahamarlin


It's normal for the intensity of a satellite to change. It could be tumbling, causing different parts of the satellite to reflect light.

In your case, since you were watching it for 3 minutes before it started to pulsate, it was getting to be a enough of an angle so that different parts (solar panels, etc.) would be illuminated without the tumble.

Since you enjoy spotting satellites, have you seen this website?
heavens-above.com...

[edit on 15-8-2008 by Phage]

Yes, tumbling makes sense! Bet thats what I saw.
Im gonna check out the site.
Thanks!

reply to post by Phage



Great link for sky information.

Definetely one to save in bookmarks, Thanks!

Originally posted by ahamarlin
Yes, tumbling makes sense! Bet thats what I saw.
Im gonna check out the site.
Thanks!

Why do you believe that it was a satelitte? Was it moving across the sky?

I see the stars blinking, then stop, then move, then blink some more, then disappear, then reappear, then blink really fast, then stay bright. Weird, but not really I guess...after all, they are alive. Peace

That must have been fascinating to see. The night sky holds many mysteries and all of them can't be explained away. Keep an open eye and an open mind. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Originally posted by letthereaderunderstand
I see the stars blinking, then stop, then move, then blink some more, then disappear, then reappear, then blink really fast, then stay bright. Weird, but not really I guess...after all, they are alive. Peace

I like the thought of stars being alive. The thought just touches me. I wonder if they embody consciousness?

reply to post by interestedalways


Stars are energy as we are. I often wonder in light of the recent discovery that the universe is expanding if maybe this is where our energy goes. It may be an "out there" idea, but it brings me comfort to think that perhaps the ones I love that have passed on are somewhere out there looking down on us and that we too will one day possess the heavens.

Interesting idea.

I remember talking to someone who seemed to be privvy to some kind of secret society of which I don't know who told me that we are to become Stars upon our death, and each star has it's own universe.

Hard to know from here!

reply to post by letthereaderunderstand


The moving stuff I see is always a straight line. When it it stops or make a strange move: then it might be somthing different then a satellite.
I wish a saw a spaceship!

It was definitely a satellite.There is a kind of satellite called iridium satellite which sometimes flares making it kind of pulsate.

Here's the link.antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov...

Hey interested...good to see you again, your posts always make me smile, plus your my partner witness to the "the man with the flowing hair"..., but I've got another one for you. I must preface this for the group by saying, I don't believe that "Space" is exactly what we are told..., but that being said, I've got a couple Ideas for you. No proof, just my eyes and heart.

1. Satellites are watching us not the stars. I believe the gamma rays, and x rays, and radio waves are emitting from us and not space. I also believe they are monitoring in search of..."the one"...to either kill him/her or use him/her, because "the one" possesses something special.... Memory...which is very dangerous to people in charge. "The one" is the "STAR" witness to what is being done, by our loving masters and us. This one is being roused out of the dead ones and they are looking for the lamp. By the time they find the light it will of already blinded them.

2. The satellites sent out with the gold disks, can' t remember there names (pioneer or voyager) 1 and 2. I believe that our government knows that the time is near for the earth to "Turn over" a new leaf, and has known for the last 50 or so years. I believe they are doing all in there power to prepare yet fear the worst. These satellites are actually more like time capsules. Only we would understand what was on the disks. Too much info is on them...All we would need to do show intelligence is a simple pattern. No need to put every language on there, how hydrogen is constructed...etc. Just a simple musical pattern would show intelligence. I believe these will come out of orbit after cataclysm to be found by the "survivors" hence a little jump start on civilization, plus a record player...yae

NASA in Hebrew means "to lift up", Apollo "Destroyer"

"And I saw the earth (body) with the moon as its footstool"..."that's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

Anyway just some thoughts, Peace

Originally posted by peacejet
It was definitely a satellite.There is a kind of satellite called iridium satellite which sometimes flares making it kind of pulsate.

Here's the link.antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov...

Thanks for posting the pics. I just wonder why the clouds to the back of the picture are not blurred, yet the sky is. No offense, they look like two different pictures pasted together.

Peace

Now that is a mindful to think about, I think I better do some investigating about satellites so they I can make a decent reply!

Thanks for the compliment, Let the reader understand. I also respect and enjoy your unique posting style.

I will check out the links on this thread and do some googling as there is so much involved in the sky, both historically and in our "modern" times.


Provoking.

Yes, they are two different exposures of two minutes each combined into a single one, regarding the clouds I didnt note that earlier and thanks for pointing that out, it seems the clouds are moving from one side of the image to another.

Originally posted by interestedalways
Now that is a mindful to think about, I think I better do some investigating about satellites so they I can make a decent reply!

Thanks for the compliment, Let the reader understand. I also respect and enjoy your unique posting style.

I will check out the links on this thread and do some googling as there is so much involved in the sky, both historically and in our "modern" times.


Provoking.

Smiling must have magnetic properties...Blessings always friend

Originally posted by peacejet
Yes, they are two different exposures of two minutes each combined into a single one, regarding the clouds I didnt note that earlier and thanks for pointing that out, it seems the clouds are moving from one side of the image to another.

Thanks again for the picture, it makes more sense now...the two exposures and all...Peace to you

Originally posted by letthereaderunderstand

Originally posted by peacejet
Yes, they are two different exposures of two minutes each combined into a single one, regarding the clouds I didnt note that earlier and thanks for pointing that out, it seems the clouds are moving from one side of the image to another.

Thanks again for the picture, it makes more sense now...the two exposures and all...Peace to you

You're welcome.

reply to post by peacejet


I agree with peacejet.

APOD is an awesome resource for learning about things we collectively and scientifically know about the universe. It's one of the reasons I got into Astronomy as a hobby, seeing those wonderful, gorgeous photos packed with factual data on a daily basis.

My first thought when I saw the OP was, "Iridium flare," and peacejet succinctly nails it on the head.

Iridium flares are gorgeous if you've good enough eyes to catch them. Kinda like slow motion shooting stars. Here's another APOD pic, with some facts about the flares antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov...

Cheers!

Reply to post by rashaverak.
Thanks, I also started astronomy as a hobby after visting APOD from the NASA website. And, thanks again for the additional information.

[edit on 15-8-2008 by peacejet]