I've just been out walking my dog, looking at the stars + saw 1 that was really bright, then noticed it was moving. It then faded. No i've not been drinking nor taking drugs.
2006-09-17 09:46:50 · 15 answers · asked by msj2uk 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Earth Sciences & Geology
Listen, seriously, it was most likely an Iridium satellite.
They are comminication satellites and they have reflectors that because the satellite is turning, they reflect the sun's light only for a few seconds on a particular spot. When you are in the right position, they can be brigher than anything in the sky, bar the sun and moon.
See www.heavens-above.com. You can then find out the times when they are going to "flare" at your location.
Note that in the predictions, it gives a magnitiude. Just for a guide
Mag -1 is about as bright as the brightest star.
Mag -4 is Venus at its brightest
Mag -8 is Iridiums at their brightest, which is about 30 times brighter than Venus.
Anything over Mag -4 is visible during daylight.
Mag +6 is about the dimmest object visible to nake eye.
Moon is about mag -12
Sun is about mag -26.
The dimmest object visible to the largest telescopes is about mag +28
As you can see, the brightness goes up as the magnitudes go down.
2006-09-17 11:13:06 · answer #1 · answered by nick s 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
this was most likely an asteroid, burning up in our atmosphere. When debris flying through space comes in contact with our atmosphere, the friction from the atmosphere heats the debris up into a glowing fireball, because you say you saw a line, or likely a streak of light in the sky, its likely it was an asteroid because planes or satellites are not moving fast enough, and will appear almost stationary at this distance. The reason it faded away is because most of the debris burns up completely before it ever falls to earths surface.
On clear nights, and if you have the change to be far away from the bright lights of the city, you can see these more often. Should an asteroid ever actually make it through the atmosphere and strike earth, then its called a meteorite.
2006-09-17 16:57:51 · answer #2 · answered by jdrisch 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If it was moving very quickly, it was a meteor (or shooting star); if it was moving slowly, it was a satellite. The reason it faded is: as it moved the sun hit it at a different angle or it spun so that the sun hit it differently. They are common. Sometimes, I see four or five in a single hour.
2006-09-17 16:55:52 · answer #3 · answered by just browsin 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It may have been the planet Venus.. which if you look for the moon, at around 9 pm it will be about (in pointing distance) an arm and a half east and about 3 hands down. And if you look hard and long enough, it will appear to be moving, and it fades and glows red blue, orange, green.. it is beautiful.
2006-09-17 17:02:03 · answer #4 · answered by Vita 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Most probably a satellite. They look like stars moving across the sky.
2006-09-17 16:54:54 · answer #5 · answered by inuvikrx 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you were most likely seeing an aeroplane or a satellite most are visible at certain times of the year but it could have been spot lights like the ones used to light up fair grounds
2006-09-18 05:11:54 · answer #6 · answered by gunner n 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
either an aeroplane or a satellite. Or a very bizzare version of the northern lights
2006-09-17 18:45:15 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It was either an asteroid burning up in the atmosphere, or else a satellite.
Both are visible to the naked eye on a clear night.
2006-09-17 17:08:07 · answer #8 · answered by Swampy_Bogtrotter 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is most likely to be the International Space station ,ISS, passing over. you can check for details of visible passes on heavens-above .com site, its very interesting. Geoff.
2006-09-17 17:01:05 · answer #9 · answered by Geoff P 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
gotta be an aeroplane. when it faded the plane went behind a cloud
2006-09-17 16:50:19 · answer #10 · answered by Mizz Julie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋