Orpington Astronomical Society

Astronomy => Astrophotography => Topic started by: Daniel on Feb 16, 2008, 11:54:09

Title: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Daniel on Feb 16, 2008, 11:54:09
Just wondering if any of you have had this too, last night I was looking up around LEO taking some 30 second exposures when i noticed a streak on one of the images. I took another and the streak was still there except it had moved along some more, then i took another and it was nearly out of shot, It's obviously traveling too slow to me a metior and there wasn't any aircraft in the sky (it was too faint for that aswell)

Did I capture a satelite going over?
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Rick on Feb 16, 2008, 12:28:15
Very probably. Exactly which one might be a bit harder to determine unless you've got access to a full set of predictions.
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Mac on Feb 16, 2008, 13:10:56
roughly what time were you imaging, according to starry night there were loads, if you can give a rough time, i'll have a quick look and let you know
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Mac on Feb 16, 2008, 13:12:35
the slowist one so far which was about 22:30 was the H-2a Rocket booster.
which as you look at leo is on the right hand side moving bottom to top.
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Mac on Feb 16, 2008, 13:17:38
the next slow moving one which is about 00:15 was a gps satelite moving top to bottom slap bang in the middle
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Daniel on Feb 16, 2008, 13:26:45
Just had a look at my files and they were all taken between 00:22 and 00:27
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Mac on Feb 16, 2008, 15:14:18
Just checked, and it was a GPS satelite, GPS BIIRM-4(PRN 15).

These are the starry night prints

i know they are a bit big sorry.

there is also an asteroid to the right of leo, dont know if you had a wide enough field of view to capture it, Hebe (the green label)

(http://www.belvedereconcertband.co.uk/Macs/astronomy/0022.gif)

(http://www.belvedereconcertband.co.uk/Macs/astronomy/0024.gif)

(http://www.belvedereconcertband.co.uk/Macs/astronomy/0027.gif)
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Daniel on Feb 17, 2008, 00:54:59
Wow, that's really cool, nice bit of detective work there, makes me wonder what else can be caught within a patch of sky with a long enough exposure........well, apart from loads of light polution! :P
Title: Re: Strange Lines appearing on 30s exposure
Post by: Mac on Feb 17, 2008, 15:59:10
Well if your up for a challenge, 00:14 Monday morning, there are the following items in the sky,

This is a 180deg view looking at the zenith, so if anyone has a fish eye lens it might prove quite interesting.

as there will be about 25 satelites, 8 resonably bright asteroids, 5 comets not so bright.

(http://www.belvedereconcertband.co.uk/Macs/astronomy/0014.gif)