Do Satellites Pulse and Move this Slow?

I am putting this in space because first of all it is great steady footage of space. Secondly, I am guessing people are probably going to say satellites. I really only have one problem with that myself. I thought satellites kept a consistent blink or light, and I also thought they were somewhat fast moving.

What is captured in this video has two objects blinking more like a random flash and move very very slowly. After about the 2 min mark and into the 3 min mark, the brightest of the one, if you look closely on full screen, has different types of flashes, or maybe I should say shapes.

Now granted it is a 6 min video, but if you can get through the first couple of min., you might find it intriguing. I also highly suggest watching in full view if possible. Please don't just judge it after looking for a short min.

Keep your eye on the lower right. The brightest one appears around the .20 mark or so. That is the one to really watch



.

absolutely beautiful video.

as far as the "blinkies" in question, I have no idea. I am a avid satellite spotter hobbiest, and I have never seen that before.

I did see once what I think to be a irridium flare...a perfect superbright orblike light blink in and out of existance, not unlike what is presented there...but it was just a single blip and gone.

most satellites, even slow ones, tend to jet along at a decent speed....but, I guess more information would be needed to determine what this is...such as, what camera was used, where it was located...

there are some satellites so far out that they are almost stationary to a point on the ground.

reply to post by SaturnFX


Did you notice what I meant about the blink of the lights seeming to change. Like the shape? I dont know if you watched it on full screen or not, it is easier to see it that way. If that is somewhat of a deep space satellite, that is a awfully bright flash dont you think?

Thanks for reply btw

Im also curious about another thing. If it is that far out in space, then that seems like it traveled a incredible distance for under 6 min moving that slowly yes? Considering the size it might be?

Originally posted by onehuman
Im also curious about another thing. If it is that far out in space, then that seems like it traveled a incredible distance for under 6 min moving that slowly yes? Considering the size it might be?

the shape I cannot claim to know...the camera can distort shapes a bit depending on a host of factors.

what size is it? how far did it go? the problem with your statements is that you need to first off identify something before you can start calculations.

ultimately, its a ufo...probably a satellite, but since there is nothing clearly identifying it as such, then for now, its just a unknown...however I would not think its anything beyond something fairly natural.

I am sure there are ways to find out exactly what it is if the video timestamps it and you know the exact location of this shot...then just crossreference it with satellites in the area and that should solve that.

The short answer is yes. If the object is rotating or tumbling, its brightness will vary at a regular rate. As it moves across the sky, the viewing geometry changes, along with the angle that the sunlight is falling on it; so the strength and period of the fluctuation may vary as it moves across the sky.

6 minutes is not an unusual length of time to be in view. Higher orbits move more slowly. As I type this, the tumbling rocket body of Aurora 2 is passing overhead and will be in view for a total of ~7.5 minutes. It is in a 392 x 1,917 km orbit, and was part of a Delta rocket launched on May 29, 1991.

If you enter your location at heavens-above.com, you can usually ID any satellite that's passed over in the last 24 hours.

reply to post by Saint Exupery


I thought satellites had somewhat of a consistent blink though. Aren't the intervals a bit long for these?

reply to post by onehuman

As said, satellites don't "blink". Some of them tumble or rotate. As they tumble or rotate different areas on them (solar panels in particular) reflect sunlight to your eyes. A slowly rotating satellite will "flare" at long intervals.

reply to post by Phage


Thanks to this thread for confirming my suspicion that a satellite's brightness can vary.

Along these lines, I recently (late June) saw what must have been a satellite brightening up just before it disappeared (behind the Earth's shadow). Typically the satellites I see have a fairly near-constant brightness until they disappear. However this one seemed to brighten up significantly -- to the point that it was the brightest object in its vicinity of the sky (and there were a number of nearby stars) -- and then phased out/disappeared. The whole observation lasted less than five seconds. I was walking along a street with a lot of trees, so it was only by happenstance that I caught it at all -- that and the fact that it became so bright. It was moving in a generally NW to SE direction and occurred around midnight; hence it went dark when one would expect it to, if it were indeed a satellite. But is this strong increase in brightness just before fade out -- and occurring in just a few seconds -- at all common?

I have also seen what I thought to be Satellites, however many times they brighten up in no particular interval or consistency of brightness. I have witnessed this a few times, four being the most I've seen doing this at one time. I told a friend about this only after we both witnessed the same event occur with no perceivable patterns for illuminating as they did. After speaking for a short while he had told me that he saw what seemed to be a satellite which was then in a collision path (from his angle) with two other satellites. He then stated that they two lit up and changed course to avoid colliding. His story reminded me of when I saw a similar change of course by what I thought was a satellite. I know that satellites don't deviate from there orbit paths, so I am confused as to what I saw. I look forward to hearing your insights about the strange lights changing course and brightness.

An ISS solar flare.

OP - The video has been removed.

Would love to see this if anyone has a working link.

reply to post by onehuman


Your video has been removed.

If it helps, the ISS for instance will traverse your field of view in 3 minutes.