APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
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APOD Robot
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APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by APOD Robot » Sun Jun 09, 2024 4:07 am

Image How to Identify that Light in the Sky

Explanation: What is that light in the sky? The answer to one of humanity's more common questions may emerge from a few quick observations. For example -- is it moving or blinking? If so, and if you live near a city, the answer is typically an airplane, since planes are so numerous and so few stars and satellites are bright enough to be seen over the glare of artificial city lights. If not, and if you live far from a city, that bright light is likely a planet such as Venus or Mars -- the former of which is constrained to appear near the horizon just before dawn or after dusk. Sometimes the low apparent motion of a distant airplane near the horizon makes it hard to tell from a bright planet, but even this can usually be discerned by the plane's motion over a few minutes. Still unsure? The featured chart gives a sometimes-humorous but mostly-accurate assessment. Dedicated sky enthusiasts will likely note -- and are encouraged to provide -- polite corrections.

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habib.chehade@gmail.com

Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2021 Nov 14)

Post by habib.chehade@gmail.com » Sun Jun 09, 2024 8:42 am

The UFOs are missing !
The answer : UFO should come as:
Is it really big? --> No -->Is it Moving? -->Yes-->So quickly you almost missed it? --> Yes --> Is it extra super bright --> No --> Is it rotating? -->Yes (UFO) ; NO (Meteor)

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by Rauf » Sun Jun 09, 2024 9:46 am

A polite correction here:
As this chart is dated, I think it needs an update which adds Tiangong, as the ISS is no longer the only space station which is home to astronauts!

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by Christian G. » Sun Jun 09, 2024 12:11 pm

Another one: If it's blinking but appears too high to be an aircraft, or even more mystifying, if the blinking is irregular! - it's a tumbling satellite.

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2021 Nov 14)

Post by divad27182 » Sun Jun 09, 2024 12:57 pm

Starting at "Bolide":

Are there more?
No: Bolide
Yes: Fireworks

Capt. Obvious

Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by Capt. Obvious » Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:06 pm

Polite correction:
Instead of Astronauts waving (cannot actually see them), try "Is it going straight?"
Yes - Satellite or ISS. No - UFO. :shock:

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2021 Nov 14)

Post by stargazer2024 » Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:45 pm

With the rise in launches from various countries over the last 20 yrs or so, some parts of the world are now treated to the sight of failed boosters and/or 3rd stages in the night sky.

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by wilddouglascounty » Sun Jun 09, 2024 1:55 pm

Or in certain parts of eastern Europe/Middle East: exploding alternative to bolide could be a missile shot down by defensive missile

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2021 Nov 14)

Post by MevetS » Sun Jun 09, 2024 2:03 pm

rwlott wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 12:49 am My first thought upon seeing today's APOD was that this is one of Randall Munroe's XKCD comics, as he often uses flowcharts to humorous effect. Here's an example: https://xkcd.com/1688/
It made me think of this one: https://xkcd.com/2633/

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by florid_snow » Sun Jun 09, 2024 3:17 pm

Christian G. wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2024 12:11 pm Another one: If it's blinking but appears too high to be an aircraft, or even more mystifying, if the blinking is irregular! - it's a tumbling satellite.
Yep, and slow but steady brightness changes would likely be the giant tumbling rocket body stage left in orbit after releasing a satellite, I saw one of those recently, very beautiful the way it slowly dims and brightens up again.

Roy

Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by Roy » Sun Jun 09, 2024 3:51 pm

Interesting to see how other languages use diacritical marks on Roman letters to indicate sounds that would otherwise require an invented letter. Of course, English is replete with spellings left over from the monks trying to spell Old English sounds which have since gone silent. Example - knight; the German cognate “knecht” has all letters pronounced.

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by Chris Peterson » Sun Jun 09, 2024 4:08 pm

Roy wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2024 3:51 pm Interesting to see how other languages use diacritical marks on Roman letters to indicate sounds that would otherwise require an invented letter. Of course, English is replete with spellings left over from the monks trying to spell Old English sounds which have since gone silent. Example - knight; the German cognate “knecht” has all letters pronounced.
Almost. The "ch" in German is a digraph just like the "gh" in English.
Chris

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by johnnydeep » Sun Jun 09, 2024 4:51 pm

Does anyone else see it? No - you might be hallucinating, or having a brain aneurysm.
--
"To B̬̻̋̚o̞̮̚̚l̘̲̀᷾d̫͓᷅ͩḷ̯᷁ͮȳ͙᷊͠ Go......Beyond The F͇̤i̙̖e̤̟l̡͓d͈̹s̙͚ We Know."{ʲₒʰₙNYᵈₑᵉₚ}

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Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by Ann » Sun Jun 09, 2024 5:01 pm

Chris Peterson wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2024 4:08 pm
Roy wrote: Sun Jun 09, 2024 3:51 pm Interesting to see how other languages use diacritical marks on Roman letters to indicate sounds that would otherwise require an invented letter. Of course, English is replete with spellings left over from the monks trying to spell Old English sounds which have since gone silent. Example - knight; the German cognate “knecht” has all letters pronounced.
Almost. The "ch" in German is a digraph just like the "gh" in English.


Then again, the Swedish "knekt" has all its letters pronounced! :D

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lefthip

Re: APOD: How to Identify that Light in the Sky (2024 Jun 09)

Post by lefthip » Sun Jun 09, 2024 6:21 pm

Just a word about your APOD translations. You haven't included "Francais" as an option and you have so many Canadiens who love your web site and they also love to spend winters in the shadows of the Cape Canaveral launch site. Must've been an "oversite"!