2 replies to this topic

[MeteorBoy]

The photo below is what I believe to be a meteor trail.

 

There are only a few faint background stars because I was using a small refractor with a 3-degree field and a less than one-second exposure in a heavily light-polluted sky.  Aircraft use multiple strobes and satellites are typically a straight line of even brightness.  That leaves a meteor, probably tumbling.

 

I've caught this several times before.  It's interesting to see the meteor's path and brightness vary as it burns.

 

 

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[Sincos]

Space junk tumbling ,  $.02 . Next time it happens notice the time and where it was then go to Heavensabove and check the data base , you might find out it’s an old Soviet booster lots of old NASA debris also . Been surprised a few times when I checked .

 Good Luck and Clear Skies 

[ShaulaB]

As Sincos said, get to know the website (or app for your phone) called Heavens-above dot com. It lists EVERYTHING orbiting us.

 

Tumbling rocket bodies are fairly common things to see that brighten and dim in a cycle. I have seen meteor streaks brighten and dim down, but not in such a regular fashion as what the image shows.