Can someone help me identify this object in my photo?

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In summary, you captured the light from Vega, a really bright star, in the sky and the accompanying constellation, Sagitta, can be seen on the right hand side of the photo.
  • #1
Uchuujin_7
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I was in the country where it was dark and the sky was clear and beautiful, so I aimed my Canon Powershot A85 (a great camera, but not as good as a digital SLR) towards the sky and did a 15 second exposure just to see if it would see the Milky Way (because my eyes could a bit.)

The picture was dark and didnt' show much until I brightened it, and then I noticed a strange object that looked like a large star with a tail or jet. I know it wasn't a shooting star or anything near by as that would have appeared as a long, thin streak like the line in the lower left of the photo which was a plane that flew by.

I marked this object in the photo and enlarged it: http://www.aluminumstudios.com/lj/night_sky2434.jpg Can anyone help me figure out what it is, if it is anything at all? I added the relavent location, direction, information into the photo.

I like astronomy but know relatively little.

Thanks,

~William Milberry
 
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  • #2
The image is unnaturally shaped [square] and very blue. Possibly a mercury vapor streetlight.
 
  • #3
Chronos said:
The image is unnaturally shaped [square] and very blue. Possibly a mercury vapor streetlight.

I was in the middle of a field in the middle of the country and the object in quiestion was in the middle of the sky as I was looking straight up. It's not any type of street light ...

Any squareness comes from the limited resolution of the image and the limited number of pixels with which the object was captured.
 
  • #4
Can't be a sattelite, at 15 seconds that would be a long narrow streak like the plane.
 
  • #5
Uchuujin_7 said:
I was in the country where it was dark and the sky was clear and beautiful, so I aimed my Canon Powershot A85 (a great camera, but not as good as a digital SLR) towards the sky and did a 15 second exposure just to see if it would see the Milky Way (because my eyes could a bit.)

The picture was dark and didnt' show much until I brightened it, and then I noticed a strange object that looked like a large star with a tail or jet. I know it wasn't a shooting star or anything near by as that would have appeared as a long, thin streak like the line in the lower left of the photo which was a plane that flew by.

I marked this object in the photo and enlarged it: http://www.aluminumstudios.com/lj/night_sky2434.jpg Can anyone help me figure out what it is, if it is anything at all? I added the relavent location, direction, information into the photo.

I like astronomy but know relatively little.

Thanks,

~William Milberry
You have captured internal lens flare from Vega, the really bright star in the Lyra constellation. If you will look at the right hand side of the photo, you will see the tiny arrow-shaped constellation of Sagitta. Star charts will tell you all the rest.
 
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1. What information do you need to identify an object in a photo?

To accurately identify an object in a photo, I would need a clear and well-lit photo of the object from multiple angles, as well as any relevant details such as size, material, and any distinguishing features.

2. Can you identify an object in a low-quality or blurry photo?

It may be more difficult to identify an object in a low-quality or blurry photo, but it is still possible depending on the clarity and amount of detail in the photo.

3. How long does it typically take to identify an object in a photo?

The length of time it takes to identify an object in a photo can vary depending on the complexity of the object and the amount of information provided. In some cases, it may only take a few minutes, while in others it may take longer.

4. Can you identify any object in a photo, or are there limitations?

As a scientist, I am trained to identify a wide range of objects, but there may be limitations depending on the object and the information provided. If I am not familiar with the object, I may not be able to identify it accurately.

5. Is there a fee for identifying an object in a photo?

As a scientist, I do not charge a fee for identifying objects in photos. However, if the identification requires extensive research or analysis, there may be associated costs.

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