APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
User avatar
APOD Robot
Otto Posterman
Posts: 5547
Joined: Fri Dec 04, 2009 3:27 am

APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by APOD Robot » Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:16 am

Image The Flare and the Galaxy

Explanation: Is this person throwing a lightning bolt? No. Despite appearances, this person is actually pointing in the direction of a bright Iridium flare, a momentary reflection of sunlight off of a communications satellite in orbit around the Earth. As the Iridium satellite orbits, reflective antennas became aligned between the observer and the Sun to create a flash brighter than any star in the night sky. Iridium flares typically last several seconds, longer than most meteors. Also unlike meteors, the flares are symmetric and predictable. The featured flare involved Iridium satellite 15 and occurred over southern Estonia last week. In this well-planned image, a spectacular night sky appears in the background, complete with the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy running vertically up the image center.

<< Previous APOD This Day in APOD Next APOD >>
[/b]

User avatar
Beyond
500 Gigaderps
Posts: 6889
Joined: Tue Aug 04, 2009 11:09 am
Location: BEYONDER LAND

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by Beyond » Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:23 am

I like well-planned images. Some of them are almost purrfect.
To find the Truth, you must go Beyond.

Boomer12k
:---[===] *
Posts: 2691
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2007 12:07 am

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by Boomer12k » Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:51 am

Fun with space....

:---[===] *

User avatar
Ann
4725 Å
Posts: 13762
Joined: Sat May 29, 2010 5:33 am

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by Ann » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:02 am

:kitty:

And now maybe someone wants to add something more serious...)

Ann
Color Commentator

User avatar
Nitpicker
Inverse Square
Posts: 2692
Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 2:39 am
Location: S27 E153

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by Nitpicker » Wed Sep 02, 2015 6:49 am

APOD Robot wrote:complete with the central band of our Milky Way Galaxy running vertically up the image center.
Nicely unambiguous wording! :wink:

(And the APOD is great, too.)

User avatar
RedFishBlueFish
Science Officer
Posts: 111
Joined: Mon Feb 15, 2010 11:33 am
Location: Texas

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by RedFishBlueFish » Wed Sep 02, 2015 9:10 am

The Iridium's flash is very pretty.

However, I well recall the discussion after it was discovered that these satellites produced this phenomenon, about the adverse effects of this unwanted light pollution, as well as that of the interference occasioned by the satellite's radio transmissions overlap with frequencies of interest to radio-astronomers.

So how has that all worked out?

I seem to recall that fewer Iridiums (Iridia?) were placed into orbit than originally planned. Was this because of pressure from the scientific community, or just a business decision?

At least the low orbit illuminated "Space Billboard" planned in the mid-nineties by some American advertising agency never got off the ground. It was to have the same brightness and apparent size as the full moon.

Well composed and thought provoking image. Thanks.

User avatar
BMAONE23
Commentator Model 1.23
Posts: 4076
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2005 6:55 pm
Location: California

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by BMAONE23 » Wed Sep 02, 2015 1:30 pm

Caught one of these once, later in the evening at around 9:30 while taking out the trash, I looked up and noticed the telltale glow but the flare was glowing in a most prominent red hue, most probably from the reflected sunset color skimming off the horizon (from the satellites perspective)

jandomc

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by jandomc » Wed Sep 02, 2015 2:28 pm

Might this phenomenon might explain some UFO observations?

starsurfer
Stellar Cartographer
Posts: 5409
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2012 7:25 pm

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by starsurfer » Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:03 pm

APOD Robot wrote:Is this person throwing a lightning bolt?
Click to play embedded YouTube video.

DL MARTIN

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by DL MARTIN » Wed Sep 02, 2015 4:40 pm

By simply tilting one's head to the side, it reinforces the idea that we look out, rather than up. Viewing the galaxy from that perspective seems to make it more comprehensible.

User avatar
LocalColor
Science Officer
Posts: 266
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 9:11 pm
Location: Central Idaho, USA

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by LocalColor » Thu Sep 03, 2015 4:12 pm

Nice shot!

User avatar
DavidLeodis
Perceptatron
Posts: 1169
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 1:00 pm

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by DavidLeodis » Thu Sep 03, 2015 6:39 pm

I've clicked on Martin Mark in the credit expecting that to probably bring up Martin's website but I keep getting a message "Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed". Does anyone else get this message?

Guest

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by Guest » Thu Sep 03, 2015 7:14 pm

DavidLeodis wrote:I've clicked on Martin Mark in the credit expecting that to probably bring up Martin's website but I keep getting a message "Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed". Does anyone else get this message?
http://matugraphy.com/

User avatar
DavidLeodis
Perceptatron
Posts: 1169
Joined: Mon May 01, 2006 1:00 pm

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by DavidLeodis » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:36 pm

Guest wrote:
DavidLeodis wrote:I've clicked on Martin Mark in the credit expecting that to probably bring up Martin's website but I keep getting a message "Could not perform this operation because the default mail client is not properly installed". Does anyone else get this message?
http://matugraphy.com/
Thanks Guest :).

I found it odd that a link would be provided (presumably from Mark) that appears to require that people need to have a specific mail client to open it.

User avatar
bystander
Apathetic Retiree
Posts: 21590
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Oklahoma

Re: APOD: The Flare and the Galaxy (2015 Sep 02)

Post by bystander » Thu Sep 03, 2015 8:57 pm

DavidLeodis wrote:I found it odd that a link would be provided (presumably from Mark) that appears to require that people need to have a specific mail client to open it.

Like all e-mail addresses on APOD, it has been intentionally obfuscated. Most people wishing to send Mark an e-mail could probably figure it out. I'm surprised it's the first time you've encountered it.
Know the quiet place within your heart and touch the rainbow of possibility; be
alive to the gentle breeze of communication, and please stop being such a jerk.
— Garrison Keillor