So I'm looking through my telescope...

And I was looking at the dark nebula near Orion's belt... I had my girlfriend look then I continued to look... And as I continued something really really fast and shiny passed through my peephole... So fast that I couldn't keep up with it in my scope. Now I know what some of you are going to say, it was a satellite... Well I beg to differ and here's why.

Where I live at night it is quite dark, and I can usually see the satellites with my naked eye. This one after I had tried to keep up with it and failed, I looked with my naked eye and saw nothing. On top of that I was using a high powered optic, able to see the nebula cloud. Again I could not track it nor see it visually. If anyone wishes to comment I welcome all comments.

I'm using a celestron astromaster 14 and it's a pretty decent scope.

reply to post by Enemyc0mbatant


Meteorite or Asteroid perhaps? A new Near Earth Object?

Anyway, I agree that is an exciting find.

reply to post by Enemyc0mbatant


Cool story. So....what do you think it is then?

Originally posted by Enemyc0mbatant
I had my girlfriend look then I continued to look...

Star for you for getting your girlfriend to skywatch with you. I can't get my Stephie to do that with me in the cold winter when the viewing is best.

reply to post by LightAssassin


I have no idea whatsoever... I only seen it for a brief second, like I said it passed through my peephole at very high velocity. I only wish I could have tracked it for a couple of seconds.

Originally posted by Enemyc0mbatant
reply to post by LightAssassin

 

I have no idea whatsoever... I only seen it for a brief second, like I said it passed through my peephole at very high velocity. I only wish I could have tracked it for a couple of seconds.

Ok, re-reading your original post, you ruled out a satellite. Since you don't know what it is, how about ruling out other things based on your experience of observing the skies. Can you rule out a meteoroid? Can you rule out an Asteroid? Plane? Rocket? Lens Flare?

Just an idea to go on to narrow your choices of what it might be a little bit.

Originally posted by tsawyer2

Originally posted by Enemyc0mbatant
reply to post by LightAssassin

 

I have no idea whatsoever... I only seen it for a brief second, like I said it passed through my peephole at very high velocity. I only wish I could have tracked it for a couple of seconds.

Ok, re-reading your original post, you ruled out a satellite. Since you don't know what it is, how about ruling out other things based on your experience of observing the skies. Can you rule out a meteoroid? Can you rule out an Asteroid? Plane? Rocket? Lens Flare?

Just an idea to go on to narrow your choices of what it might be a little bit.

Ok well I can definitely rule out an airplane. Way too fast. Not a lens flare as I was perfectly focused. Cannot rule out meteorite, or asteroid. I don't think it was a rocket, pretty sure, it could have been a satellite but like I said where I live I can usually see them with the naked eye, this I could not get a visual on.

Originally posted by Enemyc0mbatant

Originally posted by tsawyer2

Originally posted by Enemyc0mbatant
reply to post by LightAssassin

 

I have no idea whatsoever... I only seen it for a brief second, like I said it passed through my peephole at very high velocity. I only wish I could have tracked it for a couple of seconds.

Ok, re-reading your original post, you ruled out a satellite. Since you don't know what it is, how about ruling out other things based on your experience of observing the skies. Can you rule out a meteoroid? Can you rule out an Asteroid? Plane? Rocket? Lens Flare?

Just an idea to go on to narrow your choices of what it might be a little bit.

Ok well I can definitely rule out an airplane. Way too fast. Not a lens flare as I was perfectly focused. Cannot rule out meteorite, or asteroid. I don't think it was a rocket, pretty sure, it could have been a satellite but like I said where I live I can usually see them with the naked eye, this I could not get a visual on.

My semi-educated guess is going to be meteorite considering you were using a high powered lens.

Seeing one like that would be really cool. It's never happened to me.