Was it a shooting star?

Ruana

I was outside with my boyfriend last night and we noticed a bright star. At first we thought it was a planet as it seemed stationary but brighter than a normal star. However after a minute, it moved rapidly east across the sky until it was out of sight.

It moved too fast for an aeroplane and was just wondering if it could have been a small meteor that was caught by a strong wind (jetstream?) up in the upper atmosphere?

My boyfriend thinks UFO (:eek:) but I'm more sceptical...

Thoughts anyone?

Sleipnir

Meteors appear as a fast streak of light across the sky. THey don't last for more than a second and they burn up in the upper atmosphere; they don't get caught in the jetstream.
What you saw was likely a satellite or possibly the ISS.

Ruana

What you saw was likely a satellite or possibly the ISS.

Was there a reason why it would have appeared stationary for a short while, or would this just have been a trick of the light somehow?

As you say it does seem to be a satellite or from memory I've saw the ISS before and it would have been about the same height in the sky as what we saw.

Dave!

It's good to see someone posting this kind of thing in the Astronomy forum instead of the Paranormal forum -- for a change!

Can't help you OP but I'm sure one of the regular posters here will

Sleipnir

Ruana wrote: »

Was there a reason why it would have appeared stationary for a short while, or would this just have been a trick of the light somehow?

As you say it does seem to be a satellite or from memory I've saw the ISS before and it would have been about the same height in the sky as what we saw.

Probably the same reason a ship travelling towards you from the horizon might appear to be stationary until its close. It would depend on your perspective.
If you are looking north and a satellite moves from east to west, it would be easy to see it moving. If you're looking north and the satellite appears over the horizon travelling directly towards you, it might appear to be stationary or very slow moving until it's getting overhead.

Ruana

Dave! wrote: »

It's good to see someone posting this kind of thing in the Astronomy forum instead of the Paranormal forum -- for a change

Lol. I'm a natural sceptic when people scream UFO-I'm a great believer in rational, scientific explanations.

Sleipnir wrote: »

Probably the same reason a ship travelling towards you from the horizon might appear to be stationary until its close. It would depend on your perspective.
If you are looking north and a satellite moves from east to west, it would be easy to see it moving. If you're looking north and the satellite appears over the horizon travelling directly towards you, it might appear to be stationary or very slow moving until it's getting overhead.

I should have mentioned that initally I was looking south when it seemed to be stationary and then it appeared to move easterly across the sky. To my perspective it looked as though it had undergone a 90 degree turn; I do think it was a satellite or perhaps the ISS but am still confused as to it's 'flight path'.

tricky D

What time was it? If it was between 8 and 9:30 (or the hour and a bit before dawn) it could well have been the ISS. Outside of that window the sun is generally too far set for it to reflect off the station.

Head over to http://www.heavens-above.com/, pop in your location and then back to haomepage and click ISS. This gives you viewing times for it and you can see if it matches what you saw.

Ruana

tricky D wrote: »

What time was it? If it was between 8 and 9:30 (or the hour and a bit before dawn) it could well have been the ISS. Outside of that window the sun is generally too far set for it to reflect off the station

It was about 10.30 at night; thanks for the website, just checked though and got this, so don't think it can be the ISS.

2 stroke

There was a large rock, 22 meters i think, due to pass earth inside the orbit of the moon thursday nite, not sure which thursday but went out to look for it myself, cloudy. read about it about a week ago cant find link.

2 stroke

http://www.ecanadanow.com/space/2010/04/08/asteroid-to-fly-by-earth/
I don't know enough about astronomy but could it have been this?

Ruana

2 stroke wrote: »

http://www.ecanadanow.com/space/2010/04/08/asteroid-to-fly-by-earth/
I don't know enough about astronomy but could it have been this?

I have to confess I don't know much about astronomy either, but if it came this close to the sun would it not have a visible tail? Or is that just comets?

Also it said EST 7pm which converted to GMT would be 12 midnight... I think and we saw this about 10.30pm. Thanks though!

2 stroke

Sorry when I saw the clouds thur night I didnt bother checking link/calculating timezones.

Ruana

2 stroke wrote: »

Sorry when I saw the clouds thur night I didnt bother checking link/calculating timezones.

No bother, thanks for the info though!

ManFromAtlantis

tricky D wrote: »

What time was it? If it was between 8 and 9:30 (or the hour and a bit before dawn) it could well have been the ISS. Outside of that window the sun is generally too far set for it to reflect off the station.

Head over to http://www.heavens-above.com/, pop in your location and then back to haomepage and click ISS. This gives you viewing times for it and you can see if it matches what you saw.

looking west / north west last night midlands. about 8:30 -9 pm saw very bright light, seemed too big to be star or planet. it didnt stay as bright for long. so poss light reflected off iss would seem plausible. to me. i dont know if the iss was anywhere near at the time tho.
thanks.

Stargate

If its any help to you , the ISS was travelling from the coast of South America @ 8:30pm towards Madagasgar @9pm , so it wasnt the ISS or SS over Ireland at that time !

Regards
Stargate