- Welcome to Orpington Astronomical Society.
Recent posts
#21
In the Media... / New light on mysterious space ...
Last post by Rick - Apr 30, 2025, 09:17:32New light on mysterious space balls
Declassified government files have shed new light on the discovery of mysterious space rubble on Canterbury farmland 30 years ago.
On March 31, 1972, the Russian space vessel Soviet Cosmos 482 broke into four parts, two of which remained in low orbit and eventually rained down on Earth.
At 1am on April 3 that year, four red-hot 13.6kg titanium alloy balls landed within a 16km radius of each other, just outside Ashburton.
The 38cm-diameter spheres scorched holes in crops and made deep indentations in the soil, but no one was injured.
A similarly shaped object was discovered near Eiffelton, 20km from Ashburton, six years later.
The findings were reported at the time, but declassified Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports filed with Archives New Zealand contain further information, including correspondence on the matter between the then Soviet and United States authorities.
The documents say the balls were thoroughly analysed by New Zealand scientists.
More: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-light-on-mysterious-space-balls/VYQ6S2QIC4QREO55ERXWVIKNSI/
Declassified government files have shed new light on the discovery of mysterious space rubble on Canterbury farmland 30 years ago.
On March 31, 1972, the Russian space vessel Soviet Cosmos 482 broke into four parts, two of which remained in low orbit and eventually rained down on Earth.
At 1am on April 3 that year, four red-hot 13.6kg titanium alloy balls landed within a 16km radius of each other, just outside Ashburton.
The 38cm-diameter spheres scorched holes in crops and made deep indentations in the soil, but no one was injured.
A similarly shaped object was discovered near Eiffelton, 20km from Ashburton, six years later.
The findings were reported at the time, but declassified Ministry of Foreign Affairs reports filed with Archives New Zealand contain further information, including correspondence on the matter between the then Soviet and United States authorities.
The documents say the balls were thoroughly analysed by New Zealand scientists.
More: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/new-light-on-mysterious-space-balls/VYQ6S2QIC4QREO55ERXWVIKNSI/
#22
In the Media... / 'Really bizarre': The day a st...
Last post by Rick - Apr 30, 2025, 09:15:45'Really bizarre': The day a strange metal sphere fell from space in Canterbury (New Zealand)
On April 3, 1972, a ball of fire with a long tail was seen falling from the sky over Canterbury - and soon after it appeared a strange metal sphere was found lying in a field near Ashburton.
The sphere weighed 13.6kg, had a diameter of 380mm, and left a hole in the ground 150mm deep.
In the months following, five more spheres were found across Mid and South Canterbury, as well as a cylinder and metal fragments.
The sphere, on show at Ashburton Aviation Museum, has generated years of public interest.
More: https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-districts/star-mid-canterbury/really-bizarre-day-strange-metal-sphere-fell-space
On April 3, 1972, a ball of fire with a long tail was seen falling from the sky over Canterbury - and soon after it appeared a strange metal sphere was found lying in a field near Ashburton.
The sphere weighed 13.6kg, had a diameter of 380mm, and left a hole in the ground 150mm deep.
In the months following, five more spheres were found across Mid and South Canterbury, as well as a cylinder and metal fragments.
The sphere, on show at Ashburton Aviation Museum, has generated years of public interest.
More: https://www.odt.co.nz/star-news/star-districts/star-mid-canterbury/really-bizarre-day-strange-metal-sphere-fell-space
#23
In the Media... / A failed Soviet Venus lander w...
Last post by Rick - Apr 30, 2025, 09:14:19A failed Soviet Venus lander will fall back to Earth after being stranded for 53 years
In late March 1972, the Soviet Union's Cosmos 482 was launched. But that attempted Venus probe ran amuck during its rocket-assisted toss to the cloud-veiled world. Major elements of that failed craft remained in Earth orbit.
The upper stage of the Soyuz booster launching that Venus probe cut off prematurely, leaving the payload marooned in Earth orbit. But there is new news for this old probe: "In about two weeks from now, on or near May 9-10, an unusual uncontrolled reentry will happen." That's the report from satellite watcher Marco Langbroek of the Netherlands. He has been taking telescopic looks at the errant, Earth-circling Cosmos 482 remains for numbers of years.
What's ahead is the reentry of the Cosmos 482 descent craft – the landing module of the errant Soviet Venera mission that failed over 53 years ago.
More: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/a-failed-soviet-venus-lander-will-fall-back-to-earth-after-being-stranded-for-53-years
In late March 1972, the Soviet Union's Cosmos 482 was launched. But that attempted Venus probe ran amuck during its rocket-assisted toss to the cloud-veiled world. Major elements of that failed craft remained in Earth orbit.
The upper stage of the Soyuz booster launching that Venus probe cut off prematurely, leaving the payload marooned in Earth orbit. But there is new news for this old probe: "In about two weeks from now, on or near May 9-10, an unusual uncontrolled reentry will happen." That's the report from satellite watcher Marco Langbroek of the Netherlands. He has been taking telescopic looks at the errant, Earth-circling Cosmos 482 remains for numbers of years.
What's ahead is the reentry of the Cosmos 482 descent craft – the landing module of the errant Soviet Venera mission that failed over 53 years ago.
More: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/a-failed-soviet-venus-lander-will-fall-back-to-earth-after-being-stranded-for-53-years
#24
Astrophotography / Re: Wide field around the Cats...
Last post by Carole - Apr 29, 2025, 21:30:36Oh Wow, so great to get these targets below our UK horizon.
Is this really only a 2 sec exposure in total? Not a batch of 2 sec exposures stacked? If so amazing.
Is this really only a 2 sec exposure in total? Not a batch of 2 sec exposures stacked? If so amazing.
#25
Astrophotography / Wide field around the Cats Paw...
Last post by RobertM - Apr 29, 2025, 14:12:53My first posting here for quite some while...
This image apture was with some of my older kit but processed in PixInsight using modern tools available now.
Capture was with a Samyang 135mm lens fully open at f/2 and a 2 second exposure at ISO 40,000 with an astromodified Sony A7S. Unfortunately to reach focus I had to use a Baader Neodymium filter which added unnecessary filtering.
Click here for the Warts and all 4k version on Flickr
TFL Robert
This image apture was with some of my older kit but processed in PixInsight using modern tools available now.
Capture was with a Samyang 135mm lens fully open at f/2 and a 2 second exposure at ISO 40,000 with an astromodified Sony A7S. Unfortunately to reach focus I had to use a Baader Neodymium filter which added unnecessary filtering.
Click here for the Warts and all 4k version on Flickr
TFL Robert
#26
Astrophotography / Zodiacal Light, Puntagorda, La...
Last post by The Thing - Apr 29, 2025, 11:52:53Another one off my astro bucket list!
One Canon CR2 RAW, developed in Affinity.
Image date, time and location: 2025-04-28 Puntagorda, La Palma
Telescope aperture and focal ratio: Samyang 14mm f2.8
Camera and filters used: Canon 1100d Modified, UVIR clip filter
Processing applied: Affinity Photo 2, PixInsight
Click here for full size
One Canon CR2 RAW, developed in Affinity.
Image date, time and location: 2025-04-28 Puntagorda, La Palma
Telescope aperture and focal ratio: Samyang 14mm f2.8
Camera and filters used: Canon 1100d Modified, UVIR clip filter
Processing applied: Affinity Photo 2, PixInsight
Click here for full size
#27
Astrophotography / Re: Milky Way from Puntagorda,...
Last post by Dave A - Apr 28, 2025, 15:24:44Duncan
Thats fantastic- wish I was back in La Palma to see the Milky Way like that
Thats fantastic- wish I was back in La Palma to see the Milky Way like that
#28
Astrophotography / Re: Milky Way from Puntagorda,...
Last post by Carole - Apr 28, 2025, 15:02:48Absolutely fabulous Duncan. Unfortunately being on the East side, when they took us up the Mountain to do some astronomy, we could not go right to the top because of the Observatories, and so we had a mountain behind us.
Carole
Carole
#29
Astrophotography / Milky Way from Puntagorda, La ...
Last post by The Thing - Apr 28, 2025, 14:47:20I've always wanted to get a picture of the Milky Way like this.
56 x 20s (18 Mins) @f2.8 ISO1600
Image date, time and location: 2025-04-27 Puntagorda, La Palma
Telescope aperture and focal ratio: Samyang 14mm f2.8
Camera and filters used: Canon 1100d modified, Optolong UVIR
Processing applied: Sequator, Affinity Photo
Click for full size image
56 x 20s (18 Mins) @f2.8 ISO1600
Image date, time and location: 2025-04-27 Puntagorda, La Palma
Telescope aperture and focal ratio: Samyang 14mm f2.8
Camera and filters used: Canon 1100d modified, Optolong UVIR
Processing applied: Sequator, Affinity Photo
Click for full size image
#30
Alerts! Questions? Discussions... / Possible Aurora tonight (17th ...
Last post by Rick - Apr 17, 2025, 11:48:49Last night there was a brief auroral storm around 2100 to 2200 UTC, with reports of aurora as far south as Hamburg, and my meteor camera caught some brief glimpses of activity. Solar activity's predicted to peak at a somewhat higher level tonight, so there's a possibility that aurora may be seen further south than usual again. Hope the sky's clear.