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bright light in sky tonight - moving fast

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  • 23-10-2010 8:14pm
    #1
    kitimski
    Registered Users Posts: 15 ✭


    Hi guys,

    Would anybody know what this could possibly be?
    We just spotted something like a very bright big star, moving quite fast in the sky, and gradually going from a firey colour to a bright blue, and also getting smaller. Eventually we couldnt see it any more?

    This was in Kildare. We were driving so I stopped the car to try and get a picture, but (perhaps obviously!) all that is visible in that is a dot in the black night sky! If I had of thought of it I would have videoed it!!

    Anyway, the kids were very excited and had loads of theories what it was - meteor, falling star, comet, spaceship!!! :D

    Just wondering if anyone could tell us what it was?

    Thanks
    Kit


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    #2
    jkforde
    Registered Users Posts: 2,001 ✭✭✭jkforde


    possibly a meteor from Halley's comet, one of the Orionids? which direction was it going towards?

    🌦️ 6.7kwp, 45°, SSW, mid-Galway 🌦️



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    #3
    GarlicBread
    Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭GarlicBread


    Ive been watching similar things over the last few weeks. Stars that are not stars, balls of multicoloured light flying around the place, strange silent planes and red and blue streaks/flashes of light.

    The only thing ive positively identified were a whole battalion of chinese lanterns last night. Somone on corks northside keeps letting them loose.


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    #4
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,874 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    Yes Kit I think that I saw the same thing. I was walking 10 miles West of Galway & a really bright light appeared low in the East (about 3 or 4 Jupiter's of magnitude). My first thought was an aircraft taking off from Galway but this was way too bright & just a single point of light. As it got closer I wondered if the ISS had got brighter since I last saw it (more bits added ?).

    Then I thought that it was being lit by the full moon as it got dimmer as it came overhead & finally disappeared just past the vertical. I followed, what would of been it's track to see if it got relit by the sun that had set but it did not reappear.

    It appeared to be a satellite as there were no navigation lights yet these were clearly visible on aircraft at 30,000 feet. If it was a chinese lantern then it has done well to get from Kildare to Galway but it could be a different lantern.

    Could it of been like an Iridium Flare ?. It was definitely not a meteor.

    EDIT: I have just checked on Heavens above & there are no flares or bright satellites that correspond with the timing. So maybe it was a lantern.


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    #5
    maninasia
    Registered Users Posts: 4,616 ✭✭✭maninasia


    The number of satellites is increasing all the time plus their reflectivity (solar panels/size), sure sounds like a satellite to me...continuous fairly rapid speed, no change in direction noted.
    Also, the Chinese and Americans and Russians have many secret satellites in space.


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    #6
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,874 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    I am now convinced that what I saw was a chinese lantern having seen several tonight. It is strange that it is so hard to ascertain height, at night, with no reference points. Also the "wobble" was quite noticeable as was the flicker from the flame.

    No wonder these things are leading to UFO reports. I saw two together that appeared to be moving in opposite directions. They are clearly very sensitive to any local shift in wind speed & direction.


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    #7
    BULLER
    Registered Users Posts: 340 ✭✭BULLER


    Superman?


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    #8
    DarkDusk
    Registered Users Posts: 914 ✭✭✭DarkDusk


    This is actually the International Space Station (ISS). If you want for info about it you can check out Astronomy Ireland: http://www.astronomy.ie/iss.php


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    #9
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,874 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    No it wasn't. I did mention that I had checked Heavens Above. The ISS was over the pacific at the time.


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    #10
    DarkDusk
    Registered Users Posts: 914 ✭✭✭DarkDusk


    Do you remember what time and date? What direction did it come from and go to?


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    #11
    Discodog
    Registered Users Posts: 15,874 ✭✭✭✭Discodog


    That's all here on this thread. I have watched the ISS countless times. What I saw was a Chinese Lantern as I have already explained.


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    #12
    DarkDusk
    Registered Users Posts: 914 ✭✭✭DarkDusk


    Sound


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    #13
    limklad
    Registered Users Posts: 1,980 ✭✭✭limklad


    I also saw a UFO light in the sky but moving fast this evening moving from Raheen to Southhill. At closer inspection, It was chinese lantern moving in the fast wind as I could see the flame flicker like a candle.


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    #14
    Plug
    Registered Users Posts: 9,248 ✭✭✭Plug


    Did anyone see a bright round thing moving across the sky about 5.30 yesterday? Was that the ISS? it looked like it anyway from what i've seen before.


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    #15
    Cú Giobach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,772 ✭✭✭Cú Giobach


    Plug wrote: »
    Did anyone see a bright round thing moving across the sky about 5.30 yesterday? Was that the ISS? it looked like it anyway from what i've seen before.

    Spot on, the ISS passed over around 17:20 yesterday evening.
    This evening rising in the West at 17:43 traveling low in the southern sky and setting in the South South West at 17:48.


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