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torqueofthedevil
Original Poster
932 posts
46 months
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Got all the times off heavens-above and had a look today but a little cloud in the sky.
Magnitude was -8 I think so how bright would that have been? There is another tomorrow which I think is -6 - is this going to be quite clear?
Having youtubed one they can be unbelievably clear but I guess that was a perfect on and a magnitude of -0.
If you are wondering what one is then google it but basically they are satellites which reflect light back to earth as they spin
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cptsideways
9,869 posts
121 months
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Yep, seen quite a few, some are cleary obvious others not so. I use ISS detector app on Anroid and it pings you when they are due, some are due tonight I think.
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rxtx
4,235 posts
79 months
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Did you mean -9 rather than -0? With magnitude the lower the number the brighter it is. A full moon is magnitude -12.6 and the faintest star the eye can see is around +6. -8/-6 will easily be visible but Iridium flares are directed, so the further out of the focus point you are, the dimmer it will be.
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central
15,959 posts
86 months
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TackleburyUk
345 posts
59 months
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There is also a good iphone / Ipad app for them.
Waited around for three so far and not seen a thing....
Feck.
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speedtwelve
2,513 posts
142 months
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I've seen a few. First time was at 41000ft over the North Sea one winter night when I used to co-pilot a corporate jet. We had the cockpit lights turned down to give a better view of the stars when I saw what looked like a very bright landing light grow and fade over a few seconds. Problem was, we were already at Flight Level Nosebleed and whatever it was was seemed to be directly above... I now know it was an Iridium Flare (I also saw a tumbling polar-orbit satellite/spent booster on that trip).
Heavens Above website works very well if you double-check the times (i.e. not confusing local with GMT) and use your iPhone or whatever to check the predicted bearing and have an idea of what the elevation should look like. As long as the predicted flare is of a decent magnitude you should see it. If you are close to the centre of the reflected ground track they can be astonishingly bright for a few seconds. I've even seen a particularly bright one in broad daylight.
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The Black Flash
4,272 posts
67 months
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Seen several while stargazing, they're quite distinctive.
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Grumpy old git
124 posts
56 months
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I think this may be what I just saw in the night sky over Bristol?
It was low in the sky heading across the horizon in a southerly direction and was visible for at least 5 seconds. It looked like a firework but obviously wasn't, for second I thought it might be a plane on fire it was so bright, it faded out for a second and then reappeared.
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Simpo Two
54,274 posts
134 months
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jmorgan
17,019 posts
153 months
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Caught a few waiting for the ISS. So I start looking out for them now when ISS spotting.
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torqueofthedevil
Original Poster
932 posts
46 months
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Is the iss as impressive? It's a massive coincidence just randomly spotting an iridium flare they are very rare really
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jmorgan
17,019 posts
153 months
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I think that catching the ISS, the shadow of the earth plays the same at a similar time with iridium? I go back and check with Starry Night and it shows several Iridium passing. Not always and not more than a few.
Thread on the ISS on here on PH.
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MikeGTi
1,242 posts
70 months
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I've seen a fair few, as well as the ISS. It helps to have a good dark site to observe the sky from.
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