· Get a Cloudy Nights T-Shirt · Submit a Review / Article    Click here if you are having trouble logging into the forums Cloudy Nights - Official Forums of the 2009 International Year of Astronomy Privacy Policy | Please read our Terms of Service | Signup and Troubleshooting FAQ | Problems? PM a Red or a Green Gu.... uh, User   You are not logged in. [Login] Forum Archives · Entrance · Main Index · Search · New user · Who's Online FAQ · Calendar Astrophotography and Sketching >> Sketching Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Pages: 1 Vincent Becker super member Reged: 09/16/08 Posts: 198 Loc: France Sketch of Centaur-Satellite separation       #3399895 - 10/20/09 10:39 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Hello, Sunday night over Europe a US military satellite separated from its Centaur launcher. The launcher was then re-fired to send it orbiting around the sun for "safe disposal" and its surplus fuel jettisoned. These events occured over nortern Europe, resulting in a stunning show. Appearing to the south, near Jupiter, a bright, comet-like cloud ascended in the sky, moving due north. Approximately at the zenith it broke up in two clouds, the foremost one becoming very bright at its end. Wether it was the satellite or the rocket firing, I can't tell. I then noticed a very large double halo surrounding the clouds, extending 50° from Cygnus to Ophiuchus. All of them disappeard below the horizon to the north, crossing Ursa Major. Here is a sketch I made the following day (sketch which I also published here ): It is not a work of art, its intention being to show the extent of the phenomenon. I saw it by chance, not knowing what it was at the time. I was very imrpessed and, to be honest, a little scared! Best regards, -------------------- Vincent Becker 10" dobsonian on EQ platform (home-made by my father) 8" string newtonian as travelscope (home-made by myself ) Orion 80ED and GSO 200/1000 on Atlas EQ-G for astro-imaging Post Extras:       JayinUT I'm not Sleepy Reged: 09/19/08 Posts: 945 Loc: Utah Re: Sketch of Centaur-Satellite separation [Re: Vincent Becker]       #3400011 - 10/20/09 11:41 AM Edit   Reply   Quote Quick Reply   Vincent, Excellent sketch that achieves its purposes, it must have been huge! I once saw, back in the day, the self destruction of a Minuteman Missle over the Pacific without knowing what it was. They can be quite amazing and un-nerving! -------------------- Jay in Utah --------------------------- Location: Lat: 40.514N Long: -112.032W Mortal as I am, I know that I am born for a day. But when I follow at my pleasure the serried multitude of the stars in their circular course, my feet no longer touch the earth. — Ptolemy, c.150 AD My Blog Post Extras:       Pages: 1 Previous   Index   Next   Threaded   Extra information 2 registered and 1 anonymous users are browsing this forum. Moderator:  Charlie Hein, cildarith  Print Thread Forum Permissions       You cannot start new topics       You cannot reply to topics       HTML is disabled       UBBCode is enabled Thread views: 67 Jump to *International Year of Astronomy 2009* -----   Global Coordination   Cornerstone Projects   Special Projects   Special Task Groups   Global Activities   National and Regional Activities   IYA 2009 in Africa   IYA 2009 in the USA*Announcements and News* -----   Cloudy Nights Announcements   Discussion of CN Articles, Reviews, and Reports   Beginners Forum   Celestial Events   Light Pollution*Equipment Discussions* -----   ATM, Optics and DIY Forum   Binoculars   Binoviewers   Cats & Casses   Classic Telescopes   Equipment   Eyepieces   Mounts   Observatories   Reflectors   Refractors    Celestron SkyScout and Meade mySky   Video and Electronically Assisted Astronomy*Astrophotography and Sketching* -----   Beginning and Intermediate Imaging   Film Astrophotography   DSLR & Digital Camera Astro Imaging & Processing   CCD Imaging & Processing   Solar System Imaging & Processing   Sketching   Astro Imaging/Sketching Contest *Observing* -----   NEO   General Observing   Planetary and Solar System Observing   Lunar Observing   Deep Sky Observing   Double Star Observing   Solar   Variable Star Observing and Radio Astronomy*Telescope Specific Forums* -----   Celestron NexStar    NexStar GPS / CPC Telescopes   Questar Forum   Meade ACF/RCX / LX / GPS    Meade ETX*Other* -----   Science of Astronomy & Space Exploration   AstroWebsites   Space Rocks*Speciality Forums* -----   AstroArt   Astronomy Software & Computers   Stellar Media   Astro Outreach, Clubs and Star Parties*CN Feedback and Vendor Announcements* -----   Vendor and Group Announcements CN Forums Home

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