The Flat Earth Society
Other Discussion Boards => Technology, Science & Alt Science => Topic started by: The Real Celine Dion on December 28, 2018, 08:43:15 AM
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Early last week I was out before the full moon rose doing some stargazing. I just happened to be looking at a point to the east-southeast of Orion, when I saw two "stars", separated by at least a moon diameter(maybe more) vertically get brighter suddenly at the same time, then fade away after a few seconds(at the same time). I was using a sky app and there was nothing but random stars in that area so I have no idea what it was. I've read it could be iridium flares, meteors, etc but what are the odds it would be pointed directly at me, two of them and not moving relative to each other. If anyone has any idea what it could be please let me know.
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It would be helpful to have some additional information, especially as some of the given narrative is confusing.
The night of the full moon was 12/21. If you're in Mississippi, the moon rose before Orion did. I'll assume that you meant a mostly full moon on the 23rd or 24th or 25th. Yes? Can you provide the date and time?
With your exact location, the web site heavens-above.com can give you a prediction for a past date for Iridium flares. You could search there to see if there is the possibility of an Iridium flare, although flares from two Iridiums simultaneously seems impossible.
This would also imply that Orion (and the two objects) were very low on the horizon? Can you estimate the elevation angle at which the two objects were seen?
How bright did the objects get with respect to the brightest stars in Orion (Betelgeuse and Rigel)? As bright? Brighter than Mars? Brighter than Venus?
What color? White or yellowish or other?
When the objects "faded away" do you mean to invisibility?
Was the brightening and dimming of the objects exactly in synch with each other?
Were the objects exactly vertically aligned? Or a little offset?
What was the seeing condition in the direction of the objects? Perfectly clear? A little haze?
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It would be helpful to have some additional information, especially as some of the given narrative is confusing.
The night of the full moon was 12/21. If you're in Mississippi, the moon rose before Orion did. I'll assume that you meant a mostly full moon on the 23rd or 24th or 25th. Yes? Can you provide the date and time?
I CAN'T REALLY REMEMBER WHAT DAY IT WAS, COULDN'T HAVE BEEN A MONDAY OR TUESDAY SINCE I GET OFF AT 9, IT WAS ON A DAY I GOT OFF AT 6. AND THE MOON WAS FULL OR VERY NEAR TO IT. AND THE MOON MAY EVEN HAVE BEEN UP.
With your exact location, the web site heavens-above.com can give you a prediction for a past date for Iridium flares. You could search there to see if there is the possibility of an Iridium flare, although flares from two Iridiums simultaneously seems impossible.
This would also imply that Orion (and the two objects) were very low on the horizon? Can you estimate the elevation angle at which the two objects were seen?
I WOULD SAY ORION WAS MAYBE AT EYE LEVEL OR A LITTLE ABOVE
How bright did the objects get with respect to the brightest stars in Orion (Betelgeuse and Rigel)? As bright? Brighter than Mars? Brighter than Venus?
AS BRIGHT AS VENUS
What color? White or yellowish or other?
WHITE, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL
When the objects "faded away" do you mean to invisibility?
PRETTY MUCH, OR WAS SO DIM I COULD NOT SEE IT
Was the brightening and dimming of the objects exactly in synch with each other?
YES
Were the objects exactly vertically aligned? Or a little offset?
MAYBE A LITTLE OFFSET BUT NEARLY VERTICAL
What was the seeing condition in the direction of the objects? Perfectly clear? A little haze?
CLEAR
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And my girlfriend saw it also.
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And my girlfriend saw it also.
Cool!
Any more details?
[Edit: ah... never mind. I now see some answers embedded in the quote block above that last post.]
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And my girlfriend saw it also.
Cool!
Any more details?
[Edit: ah... never mind. I now see some answers embedded in the quote block above that last post.]
Yeah, I've never seen anything like that before. I've been trying to search online to see what it may have been but nothing solid has come up to explain two objects doing the exact same thing at the exact same time.
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I have never seen an Iridium flare that bright that close to the horizon. That and the two simultaneously I think clinches no for that.
Two fireballs at the same time along line of sight, similarly clinches no for that.
I'm assuming you were outside and this sighting wasn't through a car window ... no chance of multiple reflections from a window surface?
Did it at all look like airplane landing lights or helicopter spotlights? Is there an airport in that direction?
Spotlight illuminating two helium balloons at a promotional event?
Grasping at straws. I guess you really did see unidentified flying objects.
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I have never seen an Iridium flare that bright that close to the horizon. That and the two simultaneously I think clinches no for that.
Two fireballs at the same time along line of sight, similarly clinches no for that.
I'm assuming you were outside and this sighting wasn't through a car window ... no chance of multiple reflections from a window surface?
Did it at all look like airplane landing lights or helicopter spotlights? Is there an airport in that direction?
Spotlight illuminating two helium balloons at a promotional event?
Grasping at straws. I guess you really did see unidentified flying objects.
Yeah, whatever I saw it was strange. Two nonmoving points of light suddenly get bright and fade away. The sky app only showed an assortment of random stars in that area so I don't know. I guess I'll never know.