Starship Asterisk*

[quote=alter-ego post_id=315047 time=1626497992 user_id=125299]
Good catches of those images. I've done some quick visual estimates and simple calculations that support your faint streak [i]could be[/i] a satellite.
→ I estimate the image exposure time is close to 10 seconds, give or take
→ I estimate the streak length ~0.12°
→ I estimate the limiting magnitude at this elevation ~8.5 magnitude

For this to be a satellite, it must be in a higher orbit than LEO. The streak length is too short for an LEO satellite (LEO streak of the order 10°)
→ A very close candidate is a GPS satellite at 20,200km, traveling at 13,900km/hr. [b]In 10 seconds, the calculated streak length ~ 0.11°[/b]

I've not searched for any satellites that might be visible from this region or if any of these mid-orbit satellites are visible, and I don't know the expected magnitude. It may be coincidence, but a satellite is a logical candidate.

As far as the other anomalous spots go, they be artifacts from the camera, but I'm guessing they are not actual light sources in the sky.
[/quote]

wow high orbit satellites are visible for a camera!
[url=https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/how-to-see-and-photograph-geosynchronous-satellites/]3-minute exposure gets a row of geosychronous ones:[/url]

[img2]https://skyandtelescope.org/wp-content/uploads/Geosync-A-Sept-12-at-3_50-UT-ANNO_ST.jpg[/img2]

[quote=johnnydeep post_id=315039 time=1626449375 user_id=132061]
[quote=VictorBorun post_id=315031 time=1626413397 user_id=145500]
how come that Mars is double-exposed like all the stars but one?
Love and War by Moonlight-.jpg
[/quote]

Well, you get an A for being observant, that's for sure! Here's something else in the same "one of these things is not like the others" category:


What's This Smear.JPG
[/quote]
Good catches of those images. I've done some quick visual estimates and simple calculations that support your faint streak [i]could be[/i] a satellite.
→ I estimate the image exposure time is close to 10 seconds, give or take
→ I estimate the streak length ~0.12°
→ I estimate the limiting magnitude at this elevation ~8.5 magnitude

For this to be a satellite, it must be in a higher orbit than LEO. The streak length is too short for an LEO satellite (LEO streak of the order 10°)
→ A very close candidate is a GPS satellite at 20,200km, traveling at 13,900km/hr. [b]In 10 seconds, the calculated streak length ~ 0.11°[/b]

I've not searched for any satellites that might be visible from this region or if any of these mid-orbit satellites are visible, and I don't know the expected magnitude. It may be coincidence, but a satellite is a logical candidate.

As far as the other anomalous spots go, they be artifacts from the camera, but I'm guessing they are not actual light sources in the sky.

Inspired me to dig this out: Transit of EARTH: https://henry.pha.jhu.edu/Transit.of.Earth.pdf

Interesting image

[quote=VictorBorun post_id=315031 time=1626413397 user_id=145500]
how come that Mars is double-exposed like all the stars but one?
Love and War by Moonlight-.jpg
[/quote]

Well, you get an A for being observant, that's for sure! Here's something else in the same "one of these things is not like the others" category:


[attachment=0]What's This Smear.JPG[/attachment]

[attachment=0]2021Jul11MarsVenusMoon_ShiHuan.jpg[/attachment]

Beautiful photo! Kudos to Shi Huan!

[quote=VictorBorun post_id=315031 time=1626413397 user_id=145500]
how come that Mars is double-exposed like all the stars but one?
[/quote]

The photographer had slightly shaky hands? Maybe that one light is a distant night plane heading in the different direction which by chance aligned up with the movement of the camera?

how come that Mars is double-exposed like all the stars but one?
[attachment=0]Love and War by Moonlight-.jpg[/attachment]

[url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210716.html] [img]https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_210716.jpg[/img] [size=150]Love and War by Moonlight[/size][/url]

[b] Explanation: [/b] [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venus_(mythology)]Venus[/url], named for the Roman goddess of love, and [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_(mythology)]Mars[/url], the war god's namesake, come together [url=http://moon.nasa.gov/home.cfm]by moonlight[/url] in this serene skyview, recorded on July 11 from Lualaba province, Democratic Republic of Congo, planet Earth. Taken in the western twilight sky shortly after sunset the exposure also records [url=https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210710.html]earthshine[/url] illuminating the otherwise dark surface of the [url=http://starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/StarChild/StarChild.html]young[/url] crescent Moon. Of course the Moon has moved on. Venus still shines in the west though as the [url=http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poems/evening-star]evening star[/url], third brightest object in Earth's sky, after the Sun and the Moon itself. [url=https://earthsky.org/tonight/young-moon-venus-and-mars-conjunction/]Seen here above a brilliant Venus[/url], Mars moved even closer to the brighter planet and by July 13 could be seen only about a Moon's width away. Mars has since slowly wandered away from much brighter Venus in the twilight, but both are sliding toward bright star Regulus. Alpha star of the constellation Leo, Regulus lies off the top of this frame and anticipates a [url=https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-selects-2-missions-to-study-lost-habitable-world-of-venus]visit from Venus[/url] and then Mars in twilight skies of [url=https://earthsky.org/tonight/venus-regulus-in-conjunction-on-july-21/]the coming days[/url].


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